There is a lot of discussion if chlorine in water causes hair fall.  Some people say, chlorine in water is hugely damaging to hair, and causes hair fall, but other don’t agree with this. In this article, we will discuss  the impact of chlorine water on hair.

Why chlorine is used in water:

Chlorine is added in water due to its disinfectant quality. It kills the bacteria developing in water, and helps from cholera and other water born disease. But the disinfecting nature of chlorine comes out with a price. It reacts with the minerals present in water and create a kind of toxin called trihalomethanes (THMs). This toxin is associated with a number of maladies like asthma and eczema.

Effect of chlorine on Hair:

There are lots of visible effects of chlorinated water on hair. Active chlorine in hair causes hair to feel like gummy in wet condition. In dry condition, hair feels like straw. Oxidizing effects of chlorine can damage cuticles of hair and promote hair thinning. It oxidizes other water mineral on hair and makes the hair brittle and dry. This also results in lack of shine.

Chlorine water and Hair fall:

As per the study, chlorine water does not cause hair fall. The study was carried out on swimmers to see if the chlorine present in swimming pool causes hair fall to swimmers or accelerates hair fall. The result shows that chlorinated water was damaging to hair, but it was not causing hair fall. Bleaching nature of chlorine causes some discoloration and removes glare from hair, but no evidence found for involvement of chlorine in hair fall.

How to avoid chlorine on hair:

You can use shower filter that helps in filtering out chlorine from water. Wet your hair with tap water before entering in swimming pool. It will reduce chlorine absorption in hair compared to dry hair. You can wear protective headgear for swimming.