Chlorine is an unavoidable part of modern water systems. It’s commonly found in tap water, and while it's essential for public health, it can cause serious problems for your hair when you shower.

Many homes, especially older ones, have copper pipes that react with chlorine in the water, making the problem even worse.

If you’ve noticed your hair feeling dry, brittle, or frizzy after a shower, the combination of chlorine and copper could be to blame.

In this article, we explore how chlorine affects your hair in the shower, how to protect your hair, and how to treat hair that’s already been damaged.

Why Is Chlorine in Our Water?

Chlorine is added to water supplies as a disinfectant to kill harmful bacteria and viruses. It’s been used for decades to make drinking water safe, helping prevent diseases like cholera and typhoid. It's also used to disinfect pools.

While it’s essential for water safety, chlorine in water has some unwanted side effects on your hair and skin. Unfortunately, chlorine is unavoidable unless you filter it out.

Does Chlorine Damage Hair? The Truth About Frizz, Breakage, & Dullness

Yes, chlorine damages hair — here’s how:

• Strips natural oils: Chlorine in your shower water removes the natural oils that protect your hair, leaving it dry and brittle.
• Weakens hair strands: This makes your hair more prone to breakage and split ends.
• Dulls shine: Chlorine can cause your hair to lose its shine, leaving it looking dull and lifeless.
• Increased frizz: Chlorine exposure can lead to frizzy, unmanageable hair.

 

Why Chlorine & Copper Pipes Are a Bad Combo for Your Hair

If you’ve ever thought, “Is chlorine bad for my hair?”, the answer could also involve copper pipes in your home.

In many homes, copper pipes are still common. When chlorine in tap water reacts with copper, it can make things worse for your hair. More copper particles end up in your water, which not only strips your hair of natural oils but also causes green hair from chlorine, especially in lighter hair tones.

How Chlorine Affects Hair Colour & What You Can Do

Chlorine doesn’t just damage the texture of your hair—it also affects your hair colour. If you have colour-treated or blonde hair, chlorine can cause colour fading and brassiness.

• Does chlorine bleach hair? Not exactly, but it can lighten your hair over time.
• How to get chlorine out of coloured hair: Always use a colour-safe clarifying shampoo to remove chlorine without damaging your colour.

Yes, Chlorine Can Cause Hair Loss

Chlorine doesn’t directly cause hair loss, but it can weaken your hair, making it more likely to break.

If you’re asking, “Can chlorine cause hair loss?”, the answer is that it contributes to the conditions that make hair loss more likely, especially if your hair is already fragile.

We wrote a whole article on how unfiltered water can cause hair loss. Read it here - Yes, Unfiltered Shower Water Can Cause Hair Loss.

How to Protect Your Hair from Chlorine in Shower Water

Since chlorine in water is basically unavoidable, the best way to protect your hair is by using a water filter. Our filters are designed to reduce chlorine, helping to keep your hair healthier and shinier.

Here’s how you can further protect your hair:

• Install a shower filter to reduce chlorine and other impurities.
• Rinse with filtered water after your shower to remove chlorine buildup.
• Feel better knowing your hair is protected from being damaged

Check out our collection of chlorine water filter for showers here.

 

Our Chlorine Filters for Showers are Designed to Protect Your Hair

Our shower filters are designed to reduce chlorine and other contaminants that damage your hair, skin and health.

Here's what our filters are designed to protect you from:

• Hard Water: High levels of calcium, magnesium and other minerals.
• Microbial Contaminants: Including bacteria, viruses, and protozoa.
• Chemical Contaminants: More than 200 chemicals, including pesticides, fertiliser, industrial byproducts, plastics, glues, and metals.
• Physical Factors: These effect your water experience and include colour, taste, odour, temperature, total dissolved solids, and turbidity.

Chlorine strips away the natural oils that keep your hair soft and skin hydrated. Over time, this leads to dryness, irritation, and even hair breakage.

Here’s how our filters help:

• Prevent hair damage: They reduce chlorine exposure, helping your hair maintain moisture, softness, and strength.
• Protect your skin: Chlorine dries out your skin, leaving it tight and itchy. Our filters allow your skin to retain hydration.
• Preserve hair colour: Chlorine dulls colour-treated hair and can cause brassiness. Our filters keep your colour vibrant and healthy.

Using a shower filter helps protect you from the harsh effects of daily contaminants in your water.

Below we have the 15-Stage Purifying Shower Filter, which is designed to protect your hair, skin and health from the damaging impurities in your shower water. Get yours today!

@glowlogic Its the only way 🤍✨ Australia’s water might look clean, but here are 4 reasons you might want to start filtering it 🫣 🚿 Hard Water - High levels of calcium, magnesium and other minerals. 💧 Microbial Contaminants - Including bacteria, viruses, & protozoa. 🚰 Chemical Contaminants - More than 200 chemicals, including pesticides, fertiliser, industrial byproducts, plastics, glues, and metals. 🩵 Physical Factors - These effect your water experience and include colour, taste, odour, temperature, total dissolved solids, and turbidity. #skincaretok #wellnesstok #tapwater #waterfilter #glowlogic #wellness #waterfilters #showerfilter #cleangirl #skincaretips #haircaretips ♬ original sound - literallylikesoiconic

How to Repair Hair Damaged by Chlorine

If you’ve already noticed chlorine-damaged hair, there are ways to repair it:

• Clarifying shampoo: Use one to remove chlorine and copper buildup.We really want to try out the Curiously Clarifying Shampoo - Lemongrass & Argan by Acure Organics.
• Deep conditioning: Hydrate your hair with a deep conditioner to restore moisture.
• Hair masks: Treat yourself to a weekly mask to nourish your hair. We love all vegan products, and have had great results with "The Future Youth" Hair Mask by Arkive Headcare.
• Trim damaged ends: If your hair has been severely damaged, a trim may be necessary to remove split ends.

Regular treatments can help reverse chlorine damage and keep your hair looking healthy.

Keep Your Hair Healthy with a Shower Filter

Chlorine is unavoidable, but it doesn’t have to ruin your hair!

Installing a Glow Logic shower filter is one of the best ways to reduce chlorine exposure, keeping your hair healthy, shiny, and soft.

By filtering out chlorine and copper, you can avoid the damage that these elements cause, ensuring your hair stays strong and vibrant.

Need some help choosing a chlorine shower filter for your home? Feel free to get in touch, we're happy to help!