Staying hydrated doesn’t just boost those energy reserves. It actively increases immunity and prevents health issues big and small. Upping your water intake has also been linked to better looking, healthier skin.

According to hydration bottle innovator Manna, drinking more water is the key to reducing wrinkles, improving complexion, reducing puffiness, speeding up the healing process, clearing acne, slowing down the ageing process, and minimising pore size.

But as the ultimate beauty solution, water could mean healthier hair too. The question is – could it prevent hair loss?

Water – nourishing you from the inside out

Water hydrates the body from head to toe, which means your hair will benefit from your healthy drinking habits too.

Here Stylecraze reveals the vital role drinking water plays in the health of your hair:

“Water helps in absorbing essential nutrients. This may help nourish the hair and scalp. Dehydration can dry the hair shaft and may lead to split ends and hair breakage.

Water also helps in removing toxins from the hair scalp through sweat. Water is essential for shiny and healthy hair. Sufficient quantities of water can help in hair growth.”

The dangers of hair damaging dehydration

Dehydration can show itself in many ways, and this includes as weak, brittle, and dry hair. It has even been attributed to directly causing hair thinning, which is often the first stage of hair loss.

Without sufficient water, the growth, reproduction and preservation of hair follicles will be affected. The roots of these tiny follicles will be impacted too without the right hydration, leaving the hair fragile, frizzy, and slow-growing.

The water in your body is also charged with delivering the proteins and vitamins your hair needs to be healthy and strong.

Whilst short term dehydration won’t cause too many problems, chronic dehydration can cause hair loss.

Your body will, after all, deprioritise the hydration of less important systems within the body – this includes your hair, nails and skin – and instead focus its effort on more essential functions.

Filtered water and hair loss

Some impurities, such as mercury and lead, have been linked to hair loss. Lead poisoning, in particular, causes several issues for the hair, even when water is applied topically.

Many sufferers develop bald spots, scalp itchiness, and extreme dryness after showering in water that contains high levels of lead.

Filtering your drinking water is a great way to limit exposure to lead and other impurities. You should also avoid drinking warm water from the tap if you suspect that your home is serviced with lead pipes.

Find out more about how to reduce lead exposure in your home here.

How you wash your hair counts too

Washing your hair in cooler water has been linked to a softer, shinier, and healthier look. Washing in warm water could add the volume and texture that makes hair loss less visible.

Beware of going too hot though. Soaring temperatures can strip the moisture that is integral to strong, healthy hair out, leaving your locks lacklustre and prone to breakages.

Making the rest of your hair routine follicle friendly will also help to take care of your hair and prevent breakages and loss. Avoid over-styling your hair with chemicals and heat, and brush your hair less often or less vigorously.

Hydration can help as a preventative method

As the saying goes “prevention is better than cure”, and this couldn’t be truer when safeguarding your hair from loss and other damage with hydration.

Staying hydrated ensures all of your body’s systems have what they need to not just survive but thrive. Prioritising hydration, a healthy diet and regular exercise will make sure your body, and more specifically your hair, is in peak physical condition.

For those looking to encourage hair growth, drinking at least two litres of water a day will help to enhance the strength of your hair, boost growth and moisturise follicles to prevent split ends and brittleness.