Hair After Moving to Texas: Hard Water and Humidity

If your hair started acting differently after a move to Georgetown, two things are worth looking at: the water coming out of your shower and the air outside. Neither explains everything, but both have real numbers or research behind them.

How hard is the water in Georgetown?

The City of Georgetown's water hardness page lists hardness by treatment plant and uses USGS categories. Figures were checked in November 2026.

Soft water is 60 mg/L or less on that scale, so any of these may feel quite different from a soft-water town. Your own level depends on which source serves your address, so ask your water provider if you want an exact figure.

What does hard water do to hair?

Some of the effects are well supported, and some are still argued over.

• Washing. The USGS says hard water means you need more soap or detergent to get things clean, and that includes hair.
• Mineral uptake. A 2011 study found hair can extract significant levels of calcium and magnesium from tap water, and those metals stiffen the fiber.
• Surface. A 2016 microscope study reported a ruffled surface and more mineral deposits on hair treated in hard water.
• Strength. This is where studies disagree. A 2013 study at 212.5 ppm found no significant change in strength or elasticity. A 2016 study of hair from 76 men found strength was significantly reduced.

These were lab tests on hair samples, not tests of daily life in Texas. So hard water could be part of why your hair feels different, but it's not proven to be the whole story.

Why does humidity change your hair?

Hair gets its temporary shape partly from weak hydrogen bonds. A 2019 paper in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science notes that water easily overcomes these bonds, which can temporarily make curly hair straight.

That helps explain why a blow-dry can drop on a damp day. Your hair is taking on moisture, and the shape you set starts to loosen. Humidity doesn't mean your hair is damaged. It means styling that relies on those bonds may not last as long.

What can you do about it?

• Find out your number. Knowing your water's hardness beats guessing.
• Watch for buildup. If your hair feels coated or dull, tell your stylist what you've noticed and when it started.
• Think before you buy a softener. It's a big purchase, and none of the studies above tested one, so we won't promise it will fix your hair.
• Book a treatment if your hair is dry or dull. With Karen, hair treatments include deep conditioning from $20 and a shine treatment from $42. Each takes about 15 minutes.
• Choose a cut that works with humidity. A shape that looks good air-dried asks less of a blow-dry that may not last.

If you've just moved, you'll probably need a new stylist too. Our guide to finding a good hair stylist in Georgetown can help, and if your color looks flat, read what a hair gloss does.