Did you know that Vancouver has recently changed the pH of our water supply? This is a big deal because we’ve been very proud of how ‘soft’ our water is – and it’s now harder than the water in Kingston Ontario, where I apprenticed (more on that later).

I’m really not surprised that this change squeaked by under the radar. One of my clients, a city employee, told me that the city workers are all part of an intranet where all announcements are listed. She was shocked when I told her about the pH change because this was the first she had heard of it! If the public had been made more aware of this issue there would definitely have been some controversy. I understand it’s important to protect our pipes – this saves the city tons of money compared to replacing our pipe system. But we have some of the best water in Canada and I can tell you that with this change we now do NOT.

Now why does this bug me so much? Well – I know how much hard water can wreak havoc on our hair and skin! Our new water pH is 8.3-8.5. This is approximately what the water pH was in Kingston while I was apprenticing from 2004-2007 and I can tell you it was a pain. Haircolour was stubborn to process and faded quickly. Styling absolutely did not last due to the buildup of minerals in the hair. We needed to shampoo twice and sometime three times to get the product to work. When I moved out here I was thrilled at how easy it was to colour and style hair! I was used to really pushing hair to its limits to get it to behave, so my new clients were impressed by my ‘skill’; the reality was that I was more aggressive on the hair than I needed to be. The lovely soft water made my work so much easier.

The thing is: since June I have had a lot of complaints from clients ranging from scalp issues (dandruff, oiliness and even folliculitis flareups) to dryness and drab colour. I have two clients, and man and a woman, who are suddenly struggling with hair loss out of nowhere too. Although I cannot diagnose hair fallout disorders I can definitely tell you that I’ve known these clients for 12 and 8 years respectively, and there is no reason whatsoever for them to be losing so much hair.

As for me, my hair refuses to hold any of the Pulp Riot shades I apply. Normally they last for a month or so, but now they rinse out almost immediately. I’ve also noticed that weddings are starting up again it’s been tricky to get hair to hold a curl.

The Science of Hair

The reason why this is happening comes down to basic hair science. Acidic or low ph is ideal for hair because it smooths the cuticle and ‘stiffens’ the hair strands. This is ideal because it makes the hair less porous. Low porosity means stronger, healthier hair that holds colour and conditioning treatments. It also helps maintain bonds within the structure of the hair so that styling lasts. Alkaline or high pH blows open the cuticle, swells and softens the hair shaft, and weakens the bonds. Now this is totally fine because we NEED alkaline products to change the hair structure. They help hairstylists to strip hair, process perms and allow colour to penetrate. But! these services are always followed by a neutralizing step (either built-in as with colour services, or manual application as with perm services). If you do not restore the natural acidic pH of the hair, that’s bigtime damage territory! This is especially true for curly folks with curl patterns 3A through 4C.

Scalp health also depends on a low pH. Our skin depends on a slightly acidic protective layer to stay healthy. Acids are actually super great for our skin in small doses! Think of alllll the acids we use on our skin: salicylic, alpha and beta hydroxy, hyaluronic acid and retinol (which converts in the skin to retinoic acid)…to name a few! Our scalp health will also be affected by the change in Vancouver water pH – make no mistake. Alkaline imbalance on the skin can contribute to fungal infections such as malassezia (seborrheic dermatitis, dandruff, also facial breakouts) and bacterial infections (folliculitis).

How do I fix my hair and scalp?

So what’s the solution? Well, you could get a filtration system, but not everyone has the financial ability to do so. I would strongly advise everyone to look for a low pH shampoo and conditioner combo to start. Look for something around 4 or 4.5 and no higher. I use Schwarzkopf Color Freeze shampoo and conditioner on my clients, but those of you who prefer vegan or all-natural products will need to look up the safety data sheets (MSDS) on your preferred brand. I also really love the Malibu C line of products and would strongly recommend their 100% vegan Hard Water treatment system.

Please share! There are so many people struggling with their hair and skin right now. This issue is an easy fix for so many of us.