Nottingham water is devastating my hair!

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Does anyone have any bright ideas on this one, please..... I have recently moved to Nottingham. The water here is as hard as nails and it is murdering my hair.

In my former home (South East) I had hair that looked and behaved the way it should - nice and clean and glossy on wash days, felt strong and curled nicely from about halfway down its length. It's quite long, naturally red and was a good colour. Now it's mildly frizzy, dull, dank looking, never looks clean, colour is a bit nasty, has little curl to speak of but looks as though handfuls could break off any time.

In summary, my previously pretty nice hair looks like shit. I have tried:

1 - several different shampoos.
2 - rinsing thoroughly with filtered water.
3 - using dry shampoo and conditioner in between washes.

These measures have at least stopped it looking and feeling like it's been baked in the sun and then washed in cold sea water with no shampoo. But it still looks awful.

Apparently Lush used to make a hard water shampoo but have, naturally, discontinued it. I am renting my house so am not keen to fit a proper filter to the water system. It's making me miserable. Can anyone suggest something before I get it all cut off?

I feel your pain,moved from sussex last year to west oxon & boy the change in water has been horrid,I now use a tigi shampoo/conditioner every 3 days,batiste in between if needed & I style with boots bog standard basic serum along with brilliant brunette styling stuff to attempt the glossy locks of yesteryears

No, re the hot oil, but was thinking I should. God, I don't have to start styling it, do I?? I absolutely do not blow dry - that's for hairdresser trips - and if that's the only solution it's definitely coming off.

I have no choice but to style it after a fashion,mine is now cut to base of neck,styling products put on,blasted with hairdryer then pull straighteners through.....then all other days between washing possibly 2 mins with straighteners as leaving mine curly is now a nono with this damn water

Moving house is stressful. It can abruptly affect hair condition.

Reminds me of when I lived in Paris. The water there is so very very hard - full of limestone. My fine hair was dreadful. I persevered with rinsing in filtered water and that made a lot of difference. I'd give that a go for a bit longer.

Have lived in Nottingham all my life and never had a prob with the water.

My mum (whose hair is lovely, btw) has used vinegar hair rinse forever. This version includes some essentia oils:

www.ehow.com/how_2085173_make-vinegar-hair-rinse.html

I've never tried t myself - however logic predicts that vinegar, being a favourite limescale killer, should help with hard water as well as with the general appearance of hair.

Just a thought, ...

but if you've lived there all your life surely you don't know any different?

I am surprised no one else has suggested this but have you thought of getting a water softener fitted in your house?

Water softener will help to some degree. Feel your pain as have been living with very hard water for 10 years.

Going to try all of these, thank you. We are looking at a filter attachment for the shower. I rent the house so don't want to spend loads but you can buy filters for 20-50 quid. Has anyone tried such a thing?

I have this problem too. I find using loads of conditioner and leaving it on for about 5 minutes, as well as a dab of serum when it's wet, helps a little.

I've put soda crystals in the bath before now after reading somewhere that it was ok to do it (and it did help) but having since researched it again, I can't find anywhere that says this is actually safe! Radox muscle soak crystals work well too though, and are only about 90p for a box that lasts weeks.

I live in a hard water area and recently fitted a water softener, it makes skin and hair sooooo much nicer, don't have to put tons of cream on the dcs either.

We have a shower filter from this company and it's made all the difference.

Brilliant - I had a look at this co's shower filters last night and was tempted so it's v helpful to know that other people get on well with them. Think I'll bite the bullet. Hopefully it will help with the itchy scalp and skin too.

My relatives have always complained about the water here and I never noticed until I went away.
Hard water makes hair frizzy and dull then?

A similar thread yielded a shower filter for about £30 which I was going to try -but was pulled by MNHQ before I could buy it!!

Wow, I never knew such a thing existed. Would have bought one when we were in Paris if I had.

This is a very late addition but worth it in case anyone else looks at the thread now. I did indeed try one of the recommended water filters (see mittenkitten's link above) and it definitely helped. I still don't have Surrey hair but it's miles better than it was so THANK YOU - top tip.

Wow! I am massivdly tempted by the shower head filter- i have super fine hair and live in London. Nightmare. Has anyone got one on a rainshower-type shower head?

Tony and Guy in Nottingham is fab for when you need a hair cut!!