Is there any real relationship between water and your hair?
***NOTE: Take control of how much water you drink per day with a high-quality personal water bottle. Lifestraw bottles can filter water from practically any source, giving you clean drinking water wherever and whenever you need it.
What happens when your hair gets dehydrated?
What does water do for your hair?
If you’ve ever wondered about anything like this, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll help you better understand the relationship between water and your hair as well as what you can expect from having hair that is well-hydrated—or hair that isn’t hydrated enough.
Check out the information we have put together for you below to help you understand just what you may need to change about the way you drink water and wash your hair, too. You may be surprised at what you can learn about how water affects your hair, so read on to learn more!
Benefits of Water on Your Hair
So we’ve told you there are a lot of things water can do for your hair, but just what are they? Is it really worth it to make sure you’re drinking enough water, or is your water intake not really related to the appearance and texture of your hair at all? There are actually several different ways your hair and water are related, whether you’re talking about using water on your hair or drinking enough water in your day to day life. By understanding these factors, you’ll have the information you need to give your hair a fighting chance, even if it’s dry and brittle from dehydration. Here are a few different ways water can help your hair:

1. Keeps it clean
Okay, so this one might be a no-brained, but of course water does one very important thing for you hair. It keeps it clean! This is why it’s so important to wash your hair regularly. Washing your hair removes dirt that might be present there, but it also removes the oils and toxins that build up in your hair due to sweat and exposure to substances that can cause problems over time. If you use hair spray on your hair, then make sure you’re washing it out daily rather than letting it sit there. And no matter what you use on your hair, don’t go more than a couple of days in between showers for best results.
2. Drinking water encourages your hair cells to function properly
Whether you’re talking about washing or rinsing your hair or you’re discussing why it’s important to drink plenty of water every day, keep in mind that more water equals more hydration. And the more your cells are hydrated, the more they’re going to function properly. When you have properly-functioning hair cells, then your hair will grow more quickly and it will also become thicker, fuller, and more naturally voluminous too. You may not even need all those fancy hair supplies you’ve got on hand when you have enough water every day!

3. Dehydration may cause hair loss
Although there are many other potential causes of hair loss and dehydration is not the only one, there is some correlation between being dehydrated and losing your hair, especially at an early age. The more water you have in your daily life, the more likely you are to keep your hair for longer. Again, water helps hydrate your hair cells, and when your hair cells work the way they’re supposed to, your hair grows thicker, longer, and stays in place more easily too. Staying hydrated can help you fight off the risk of hair loss in some instances.
4. Cold water is better for your hair
When you’re rinsing or washing your hair, remember that you may be doing more harm than good if you’re using very hot water all the time. Although it can feel great to take a nice hot shower now and then, it’s better to wash your hair in cool or even cold water most of the time for best results. This goes doubly true of hair that you’ve treated with bleach or a color, but no matter what condition your hair is in, you should make sure you aren’t washing in water that is too hot. Hotter water damages hair and may even contribute to hair loss.

5. Hair absorbs 30% of its weight in water
Did you know that when you wash your hair, go swimming, or even walk in the rain, your hair is absorbing around 30% of its weight in the water you’re exposing it to? Sometimes, hair even absorbs up to 50% of water! So as you can see, it’s important that you’re giving your hair access to the best water to help it grow and look its best. If you have very hard water in your home, you may want to think about putting in a water softener for your shower so you can keep your hair looking and feeling great.
Conclusion
Did you learn a little something about the relationship between water and your hair? You may not have even known there were so many different ways water can affect your hair, but it’s true. By paying attention to the way you use water on your hair as well as making sure you drink enough water every day, you can make sure your hair looks great, feels great, and stays just the way you want it to be for as long as possible.
But how can you know you’re doing the best you can for your hair? How do you know you’re drinking enough water to keep your hair in good condition? Here are a few signs your hair is getting the water it needs:

Keep all this in mind the next time you wonder if you’re getting enough water for your hair. You may be surprised at the answer!
BONUS VIDEO!
5 Tips to Unlock the Benefits of Water for Your Hair
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep your hair hydrated from the inside out.
- Rinse your hair with cold water after shampooing and conditioning to seal in moisture.
- Use a deep conditioner once a week to nourish and protect your hair from damage.
- Avoid using hot tools on wet hair, as this can cause breakage and split ends.
- Apply a leave-in conditioner or oil before swimming to protect your hair from chlorine.
ALSO: Try using natural ingredients like coconut oil, honey, and aloe vera for an extra boost of hydration!
Last update on 2023-09-30 at 13:09 Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE, COMES FROM AMAZON. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.
We constantly make an effort to implement our editorial practices and policies through out our site. This entails researching all of our articles exhaustively and always doing our best to offer the most reliable details possible for our audience. Please check out our About Us Page for more info.
About The Author

Joseph Bartley
Editor-In-Chief
Twitter | Crunchbase
Joseph Bartley, also known as the WaterFilterFanatic, is a seasoned content writer who specializes in water filtration and water quality topics. On AllAboutWaterFilters, he has written a range of water filtration system reviews, water health and quality articles, swimming pool, hot tub and aquarium filtration guides, DIY methods to assist people clean their drinking water, and much more. Joseph enjoys spending his time working with the #AllAboutWaterFilters Editorial Team to provide some of the best quality water filtration content available on the web.