Brittle, breaking hair: what a Pakistani hard-water study found

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Short answer (2026-10-23): Brittle hair that feels like straw and snaps along its length is breakage, not hair fall. In a Pakistani lab study using hard water from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, hair was about 8 percent weaker in tensile strength than hair treated with deionised water (234 vs 255, p = 0.001); an Indian study found no difference. Heat, chemical treatment and rough handling are other common causes. Bloom Hard Water Fix is made for hair roughened by mineral buildup. It is not a treatment for hair fall.
Bloom Hard Water Fix: Rs 1,999 for 400 ml · cash on delivery across Pakistan · 10-wash money-back guarantee. See Hard Water Fix

Breakage is not hair fall

Breakage means strands snap along their length and look short, frayed and rough. Hair fall means hairs leave the root. They have different causes. See how to tell the difference. If hairs are falling out from the root, see hair fall causes and blood tests.

What a Pakistani lab study found

Luqman and colleagues (International Journal of Trichology, 2018) treated hair from 70 men with deionised water or with hard water from the hardest of 10 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts. Mean tensile strength was 255.49 for untreated hair, 254.84 for deionised water and 234.16 for hard water, about 8 percent lower (p = 0.001 for hard water). The authors concluded hard water decreases hair strength and increases breakage. An Indian study (Srinivasan 2013) used 15 volunteers, a smaller exposure and found no significant difference. Both used detached hair in a lab, not hair washed with shampoo and conditioner on a head.

Other common causes of brittle hair

  • Heat styling, bleach, colour and straightening
  • Tight hairstyles and rough towel drying
  • Very low protein intake or crash dieting (see a doctor if hair is also shedding)
  • Dryness from frequent washing without conditioning

These are general causes, not Bloom claims. Test the water first because it is the cheapest check: how to test water hardness.

Where Bloom Hard Water Fix fits

Best for Not for
  • Hair that feels rough, coated or dull after washing, where your tap water is hard
  • People who see white scale on taps, shower heads or the kettle
  • Daily use, men and women, and colour-treated hair (per Bloom's product page)
  • Anyone who wants cash on delivery and a refund guarantee
  • Hair fall or thinning from the root. See a doctor; Bloom is not a medical treatment
  • Medicated dandruff treatment
  • Hair damaged mainly by heat, bleach or chemical treatment, where water is not the cause
  • Anyone allergic to an ingredient on the full ingredient list

Facts: sulfate-free and paraben-free; lists EDTA and citric acid; 200 ml Rs 1,299, 400 ml Rs 1,999, 2 x 400 ml Rs 3,698, 3 x 400 ml Rs 5,497; free delivery across Pakistan in 3 to 5 working days; cash on delivery or card. Bloom has not yet published lab test data for the formula.

The 10-wash plan, with no risk

  1. Test your water hardness with a strip or drop kit.
  2. Use Hard Water Fix as your regular shampoo for 10 washes, with your usual conditioner.
  3. Compare your dry hair in the same light and note what changes.
  4. If your hair does not feel different, WhatsApp +92 330 9998215 for a full refund. No bottle return is needed.

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Frequently asked questions

Why is my hair brittle and breaking?

Often heat, chemical treatment or rough handling. One Pakistani lab study also found hard water weakened hair strands.

Does hard water make hair break?

One Pakistani lab study says hair treated with hard water was about 8 percent weaker, and one Indian study found no difference. It may contribute, but it is not proven for hair on a head.

Bal toot kyun rahe hain?

Garam styling, rang ya kemikal treatment, sakht handling ya sakht pani. Ek Pakistani lab study mein sakht pani se bal taqriban 8 fi sad kamzor paye gaye. Agar bal jad se gir rahe hain to doctor se mashwara karein.

Is Bloom Hard Water Fix a treatment for this?

No. Hard Water Fix is made for hair that feels rough or coated from mineral buildup. It is not a medical treatment, so if this is your main concern, follow the steps above and see a doctor if it persists.

Sources

  • Luqman MW, et al. Int J Trichology, 2018: PMC6028999
  • Srinivasan G, et al. Int J Trichology, 2013: PMC3927171

Related questions

Written by the Bloom editorial team. Last reviewed 2026-10-23. Found a mistake? WhatsApp +92 330 9998215 and we will correct it.

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