What is a water softener? How do I know if I have one?

Water softeners are devices used to remove “hard” minerals (usually calcium and magnesium) from the tap water. They can be hooked up to the whole house or building or just select rooms or even individual faucets, like in a bathroom. (There are filters that work to simply remove chlorine from the water; these are not water softeners.) Some water softeners work by adding an electrical charge to the water, which has no effect on the hair analysis test. Others work by adding either sodium or potassium to the water, which then raises these levels in the hair and alters the hair analysis test readings.

If you have to periodically add sodium or some other compound to a device on your water supply, then you likely have one of these softeners and need to follow the water-softener instructions for preparing your hair for sampling. You may live in a building where this is handled for you, so you may not know if you have a water-softener. One way you can tell if the water you are using has been softened is that it will have an almost slimy feel on your skin. Additionally, softened water doesn’t leave water stains or mineral deposits on dishes and surfaces. One more clue is that soft water allows soap to foam up very easily. Usually, one knows if they have a water softener, but if you aren’t sure, and you want to play it safe, just follow the water-softener directions in the How to Cut a Hair Sample for Analysis instructions.