Skin and hair SOS: Tips to water-wise habits for radiant beauty | Health

Traditional wisdom links good skin to a healthy diet and hair health to various hair care rituals, such as henna and massaging techniques but despite the modern mantra of drinking 3-6 litres of water daily, some people don’t achieve the expected radiant skin or shiny hair. While we recognise the significance of water for skin and hair health, we seldom consider how the water used for bathing impacts our skin.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Vijender Reddy Muthyala, Co-Founder and CEO at DrinkPrime, shared, “Water quality, including issues like high iron content, can impact skin health. Instead of checking water quality, we often switch shampoos to battle hair loss and change skin products for skin issues. The pertinent question here is whether we genuinely explore solutions for water-related concerns.”

How Water Quality Impacts Your Skin and Hair Health

Vijender Reddy Muthyala explained, “The water you drink can seriously affect your skin and hair, especially if it’s loaded with dissolved solids. High Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) can whisk away your skin’s natural oils, making it dry, itchy and rough. What’s more – high TDS water might throw off the skin’s pH balance, messing with its protective acid mantle that shields against bacteria and pollutants. Similarly, hard water isn’t good for your hair, leaving it dry, lacklustre and delicate. The minerals in hard water mess with your hair’s natural oils, making it more prone to breakage and damage. These culprits can also disrupt your skin barrier, increasing the risk of infections and making your body more susceptible to various diseases.”

Revealing what causes an imbalance in TDS, he said, “The quality of water fluctuates because of various factors, such as weather, agriculture and industry, along with alterations in land use, pollution from specific and diffuse sources, climate variations and water treatment practices. Rainwater introduces contamination causing the water to become hard and altering its overall quality. Ultimately, whether you’re dealing with skin breakouts or hair loss, these problems are complicated and influenced by your genes, what you eat, stress levels and your skin and hair care regimen.”

Tips to Water-Wise Habits for Radiant Beauty

To keep your hair and skin in top shape, Vijender Reddy Muthyala suggested some simple strategies against water-related issues –

• Optimal Hydration and Nutrition: Ensure proper hydration and nutrition by drinking an ample amount of water and following a well-balanced diet that is abundant in vitamins, minerals and proteins.
• Rinse with Bottled or Purified Water: After washing, give your hair and skin a final rinse with bottled or purified water to remove mineral residues.
• Get a Water Softener or Purifier: Install a water softener or purifier at home to prevent hair loss and skin damage from hard water.
• Use Clarifying Shampoos and Face Products: Incorporate clarifying shampoos monthly to remove mineral deposits in your hair. For your skin, choose a mild, pH-balanced cleanser and exfoliator to protect its natural barrier.
• Deep Condition and Moisturise: Combat hair dryness with regular deep conditioning. And hydrate your skin with routine moisturising. Shield your skin from harsh elements, especially if exposed to hard water outdoors, by using sunscreen.
• Shorten Shower Time: Minimise skin and scalp exposure to hard water by taking shorter showers, reducing potential adverse effects.

He concluded, “By adopting these habits, you can preserve luscious locks and glowing skin, even when dealing with tricky water situations. Also, always keep an eye on the flavour, quality and hue of the water you’re sipping!”