The Real Reason Your Hair Is Thinning (and What You Can Do About It)

tattie9
5 days ago
3 min read

You’ve probably tried it all. The thickening shampoos. The strengthening masks. The scalp oils, biotin gummies, and maybe even those pricey salon treatments promising fuller, stronger hair. How much have you spent chasing results only to keep finding more hair in your brush, in the shower drain, or on your pillow?

It’s frustrating. It’s exhausting. And it makes you wonder: what’s really going on?

Here’s the thing most people never think about or if you have, you’ve brushed it off: your water.

Every time you wash your hair in certain areas, such as Saskatoon, SK, you’re exposing it to a cocktail of hardness, chloramine, and high pH that quietly works against your scalp and strands. And maybe you’ve even tried a shower filter hoping for relief, only to notice little to no difference. The reality? Those filters simply can’t handle the levels of hardness and contaminants in Saskatoon’s water. Which means your scalp and hair are still being hit wash after wash, day after day.

So, before you blame your genetics or buy yet another product, let’s look at the three things your water is really doing to your hair.

1. Mineral Build-Up from Hard Water → Scalp Stress, Thinning Hair, and Weakened Strands

With hardness levels around 160–180 mg/L, Saskatoon’s water falls in the hard to very hard category. That means every wash leaves behind calcium and magnesium deposits not just on your strands, but also on your scalp. Over time, this buildup clogs follicles, dries out the scalp, and weakens the structure of each hair.

The result? A cycle of brittleness, breakage, and shedding that can make hair appear thinner and less full.

When your scalp is suffocated by minerals, healthy growth becomes harder and hair loss feels more visible.

2. Chloramine Residue → Irritated Scalp & Increased Shedding

To keep tap water “safe” by municipal standards, Saskatoon adds chloramine, leaving behind an average of 1.9 mg/L of chlorine residuals. While this disinfectant helps water travel across miles of pipes, it isn’t gentle on the human body.

Chloramine strips away natural scalp oils, leaves strands brittle, and can trigger irritation or inflammation. Over time, this stressed scalp environment contributes to shedding and the appearance of thinning hair.

The same chemicals meant to protect the water supply are quietly working against the health and fullness of your hair.

3. Alkaline pH Levels → Cuticle Damage, Dryness, and Breakage

The tap water in Saskatoon tends toward the alkaline range, with pH values around 8.2. Hair strands naturally exist within a slightly acidic range (about 4.5–5.5). When rinsed with more alkaline water, the hair cuticle can lift leaving strands rough, porous, and prone to breakage.

An imbalanced pH disrupts both the hair shaft and the scalp environment. With cuticles left open and the scalp stressed, strands lose their strength at the root and growth appears weaker, contributing to overall thinning.

Why Whole-Home Water Filtration Matters

Instead of relying on shampoos, rinses, or even shower filters that only offer surface-level relief, a whole-home water filtration and softening system addresses the problem at its source.

Choose systems that are backed by NSF/ANSI international certifications, which are designed to:

Remove excess calcium, magnesium, chlorine, and other compounds that build up on your scalp and strands, weakening them over time
Balance the water before it ever touches you, so every wash is gentler on your scalp, hair, and skin
Protect color-treated, porous, or fragile hair from cumulative damage that makes it look thin, brittle, or lifeless

Shower filters can’t remove hardness, balance pH, or protect you from the harsh chemicals flowing through your entire home.

Now imagine your water nourishing rather than depleting your hair, scalp, and skin working behind the scenes to keep your hair strong, full, and radiant.

That’s why the quality of your water is just as important as the quality of your hair care products a truth many people aren’t even aware of.

If you’re looking for a local supplier of certified systems, you can trust Serenity Water. As true water specialists, they work closely with a manufacturer who has been building specialty water filtration systems since 1977.

For a personalized consultation and guidance on what your home actually needs, [click here].

Summary Table

Water Component	Saskatoon Levels	Hair & Scalp Impact	Serenity Water Benefit
Hardness (CaCO₃)	~160–180 mg/L (“hard/very hard”)	Build-up → dryness, breakage, scalp irritation	Softens water; reduces buildup
Chloramination	Total chlorine ~1.9 mg/L	Strips oils, irritates scalp → shedding feeling	Removes chlorine compounds
Alkaline pH	~8.2	Lifts cuticle → frizz, damage, weakened strands	Balances pH for gentler contact