All of us always use shower water to cleanse our hair. However, sometimes this shower water i.e. chlorinated water wreaks havoc on our beautiful hair. Shower water that makes us refreshed and even relaxed; it can also shower us with chlorine. If there is chlorine in the water then that is the main reason for having frizzy, lusterless and dried out hair. Chlorine has bad effects on the scalp as well; it makes the scalp dry and that leads to dandruff.

Chlorinated water has many serious side effects on hair. They can be listed as follows:

• Harmful chemical for hair:

Chlorine is added into the water in order to disinfect it. It indeed kills all the bacteria but since it is poisonous in nature it is harmful for our body and of course it includes the hair. Chlorine gets vaporized faster than water and so whenever we look at the shower water we find steam in it. And in actual fact we get wrapped in this hazardous chlorine gas.

• Takes away the lubricants:

Our hair is helpless in defending itself against the damaging effects of chlorine and also its gas. Our hair strands are composed of cuticles surrounding and shielding the cortex. Sebum is a natural lubricant that protects and also moistens hair cuticles and also gives an additional layer of protection to the delicate cortex. Chlorinated water and also its concentrated form, that is gas, takes away the sebum from the hair and leaves it lifeless and dry.

• More damage to colored hair:

Chlorinated water causes far more damage to colored and permed hair. It also affects hair that is chemically treated. Ammonia is used in most coloring products and it lifts up the hair cuticles, due to which chemicals get inside the cortex. When such already damaged hair gets in touch with chlorinated water, the effect of this is devastating.

• Minimizing the hair damage:

When you have no other alternative but to use chlorinated water, you can follow some tips, as given below, to minimize hair damage.

• Use moisturizing shampoo and conditioner for washing hair.
• Use a shower cap.
• Do not use a high temperature setting to blow dry your hair.
• Make use of wide tooth comb.

These are the tips to remember when you are already using chlorinated water or your hair is already damaged by chlorine.  There is one effective way to prevent damage from chlorinated water. Use a shower filter fitted with a vitamin C cartridge. The results show that this filter removes almost all the chlorine from the water before leaving the shower head. Vitamin C also has an additional benefit as it is one of the best antioxidants and so it can also cure the damage that chlorine has already done.