Toronto may be known for having hard drinking water (water with a high mineral content) but now residents are claiming it's having an unappreciated affect on their hair follicles.

A TikTok posted last month is getting a ton of attention for claiming that your shower water in Toronto is, in fact, making you bald.

The original poster details her hair loss after moving into a new condo with a PSA "for the Toronto girlies."

"I've always had pretty nice hair but ever since I moved into this condo about six months ago I've noticed my hair has been thinning like crazy and I'm evening getting like bald spots I've never had before," she tells her followers.

After conducting her own research, @mackenziesmitth, comes to the conclusion her thinning hair is most likely from hard water, which she claims can weaken strands and cause damage.

The City of Toronto says its treated tapwater has a medium hardness, and that 2021's average was 117 mg/litre. 

Conducting our own research led us to a study published in the International Journal of Trichology from 2013, which states "the hardness of water does not interfere with the tensile strength and elasticity of hair."

However, there are thousands of other sites that back Mackenzie's investigation, with one from heathline.com that points to a 2015 study showing that "the surface of hard water treated hair has a ruffled appearance with higher mineral deposition and decreased thickness when compared with the surface of distilled water treated hair."

Nevertheless, Mackenzie said buying a clarifying shampoo and a filter for her shower head has led to the improvement of her hair quality.

From there, multiple other videos have taken off also validating Mackenzie's experiences, with some TikTokers saying their hair has fallen out in chunks and even caused dryness to their face.

Other videos chronicle the experience of installing a filter on their shower and recommending solutions like hair masks.

"Toronto Water's water source is the lake, and lake water is not typically hard water though it can contain some hardness-causing ions such as calcium and magnesium; strontium, iron, barium and manganese ions also contribute to hard water," the city said in response to questions from blogTO. 

Toronto Water has not received any complaints in recent memory about hard water impacting human hair. 

The city's tap water is "continuously tested, monitored, and analyzed to ensure that it meets stringent quality standards set by Toronto Public Health, the Province of Ontario, and the Government of Canada," says the City of Toronto.

"Anyone concerned about hair loss or thinning hair can consult a medical professional such as their family doctor for causes and treatments."