Delhi, New Delhi:When you move cities, your shower drain appears to be busier than usual. The comb has more strands. On the pillow, more. The blame spreads swiftly to the same suspect, hard water, for many people, particularly those moving to large metro areas. It seems reasonable. New hair, new water, new location. The case is over. Not quite, though.
In a February 15 Instagram video, Dr. Agni Kumar Bose, a dermatosurgeon and trichologist with eight years of clinical experience who specializes in dermatology, venereology, and leprosy, recently addressed this exact concern. His main point was straightforward but crucial: while hard water may have an impact on the feel of your hair, baldness is a medical condition rather than a plumbing problem.
The true effects of hard water on hair loss
Hard water is frequently blamed for irreversible hair loss. However, that connection is not valid in medicine.
"Hard water does not cause balding," Dr. Bose explains. Of course, it can make the hair dry, frizzy, and rough, but that's just the texture. Bald patches, hair thinning, or a receding hairline are not caused by hard water. Hereditary hair loss is what that is. People in coastal cities all over the world would be bald by now if hard water was the cause of baldness.
Practically speaking, water that contains a lot of minerals can leave residue on the scalp and hair shaft, which can make hair feel coarse, lifeless, or more difficult to manage. However, that is impact at the surface level. Not follicle damage, but texture. Patterned hair loss has a different underlying cause.
Why moving to a new city frequently causes an increase in hair loss
Dermatologists often observe a pattern. Around the time that people move for work or college, their hair shedding increases.
As Dr. Bose notes, "Most people relocate to a new city for work or college, which is about the same age when genetic hair loss starts. Their stress levels and nutrition also suffer since they are no longer living at home, but the plumbing is held responsible.
Disruption of lifestyle tends to cause silent harm.
Poor nutrition and irregular mealsAn increase in stressInterrupting sleepAbsence of regular self-careAll of these have the potential to hasten shedding or reveal underlying genetic hair loss that was predisposed to start.
Balding is not mechanical; it is medical.
Delays in treatment are one of the main issues that experts raise. Before consulting a doctor, many people attempt to "fix" the quality of their water for months or even years.
"And what do they do?" asks Dr. Bose. They refuse to see a basic physician, but they purchase pricey water filters, take RO water baths, or even use Bisleri baths. As a result, they wind up squandering valuable years when they could have begun treatment, and by that time, the hair loss is irreparable. Please be aware that balding is a medical condition rather than a plumbing issue. See your physician instead of your plumber.
Because some forms of hair loss are controllable, even reversible in their early stages, early intervention is crucial. But as time passes, the window gets smaller.