Research on hair health has advanced in leaps and bounds in recent years. It is known by most that pollution affects and weakens our hair, as do dyes, heat and UV rays. However, beyond these external factors there is another lesser-known element, which deeply damages the hair and to which we subject our hair almost daily.
Metallic particles in tap water, including traces of copper, cobalt, nickel, iron and even magnesium, can damage the color of dyed hair and cause hair breakage. “Heat, discoloration, UV rays… Until today, we have only considered these three sources of damage as the main ones. But there is another: metal particles. Wash after wash, the metal transported by water penetrates the hair fiber causing breakage and change of color. color”, explains Delphine Apheteche, general director of L’Oréal Professionnel Spain and Portugal.
Among the metals present in water, the most harmful is copper. “This type of metal forms clumps inside the hair fiber but can also infiltrate its structure and join its proteins,” the directive details in a press release and adds that “when a color or lightening agent penetrates the hair, “It reacts by creating micro explosions within the hair that cause breakage.”
These particles do not affect all hair in the same way. According to a study by the well-known beauty firm, hair porosity aggravates the problem. “The more porous the hair is, the more water it absorbs with the metal,” highlights Apheteche.
There are several things that can be done to protect hair from metals in water. The first is to incorporate a filter in the shower head that also purifies the water and prevents excessive passage of chlorine. It is vital for dyed hair since chlorine damages the color and shine of the hair.
Another option that Apheteche advises is to treat poisoned hair with a product containing glycoamine. L’Oreal’s Metal Detox line has several products – including a mask, an oil and a shampoo – that penetrate inside the fiber and absorb metal remains.
On the market, however, there is a wide list of products that help eliminate waste and contain proteins and cleansing agents, such as Christophe Robin’s purifying shampoo or Redken’s cleansing cream.
