Does Wearing a Hat Cause Hair Loss? What Research Tells Us

Table Of Content

• Wearing a Hat More Than Likely Doesn’t Cause Hair Loss
• Special Health Reports
• How to deal with hair loss?
• Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!

However, Cleveland Clinic dermatologist Dr. John Anthony said that wearing hats that are very tight or hot could possibly decrease blood flow to the hair follicles. That’s because the decrease in blood flow could stress the hair follicles and cause them to fall out. Such hair loss is usually temporary but could become permanent over time. However, wearing hats excessively tight or for extended periods can lead to tension on the hair follicles, which may result in hair breakage and thinning. If you're among the many women eager to promote healthy hair growth, you've probably heard the age-old myth that wearing hats can lead to hair loss.

Wearing a Hat More Than Likely Doesn’t Cause Hair Loss

The scientists found that twins who wore a hat experienced less hair loss in the area above their forehead than twins who didn’t wear a hat. Can wearing a hat really rub the hair follicles on your head so much that it causes your hair to fall out? We all have a favorite hat that hardly ever gets tossed in the laundry. Wearing a dirty hat can lead to an irritated, itchy scalp and ultimately affect your hair health, Dr. Geria says.

Special Health Reports

One example is alopecia areata, which is an autoimmune disorder where your immune system attacks hair follicles, causing thinning hair and sudden hair loss. Depending on the severity, hair loss may be mild or patchy, or more significant. Corticosteroids are prescription treatments used for conditions linked to underlying inflammation.

How to deal with hair loss?

"Abnormal levels of androgens produced by both men and women can cause hair thinning and loss," Dr. Geria says. Here at LIVESTRONG.com, we carefully consider language surrounding sex and gender. Here, Aanand Geria, MD, a New Jersey-based dermatologist and founder of Geria Dermatology, explains if wearing a hat can cause hair loss and offers tips to protect your locks when wearing a hat.

Genetics

The condition is also reversible in many cases if it's caught early enough. If you take away the source of the traction (i.e. stop wearing a tight hat), your hair will usually grow back. If it goes on too long, though, traction alopecia can cause permanent damage to the hair follicle and lead to irreversible hair loss. If you suffer from a scalp condition that involves inflammation around the hair follicles, you might find that wearing a hat worsens the condition.

In fact, the most common cause of hair loss, androgenic alopecia, is completely out of your hands. Firstly, stress causes a physiological response in the body, resulting in the release of cortisol. Chronic stress can cause elevated cortisol levels, which may disrupt the normal hair growth cycle, leading to hair loss.

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Overstyling and chemical treatments also contribute to hair structure damage and potential loss. Next up are hormones, which play a critical role in regulating hair growth. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a derivative of testosterone, is often the hormonal villain in hair loss tales, particularly in androgenetic alopecia. If your family tree shows a pattern of thinning or balding, you’re likely predisposed to similar challenges.

“Opt for hairstyles that minimize tension on the hair follicles, such as loose braids, buns or ponytails,” advises Gaboardi. “Avoid tight hairstyles and hair accessories that pull on the hair and handle your hair with care to minimise breakage and damage. Traction alopecia is the result of environmental factors, such as wearing your hair in tight hairstyles, Agbai says. Telogen effluvium refers to the excessive shedding of hair follicles, and it occurs when hair follicles prematurely skip to the end of the hair growth cycle, she adds.

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However, wearing hats that are overly tight or made from materials that trap heat and moisture can create an environment that is not ideal for hair health. Additionally, giving your hair regular breaks from wearing hats can help prevent any potential damage caused by friction. Its life cycle dictates the rhythm of hair growth, rest, and shedding through the anagen, catagen, and telogen phases. While this process is typically harmonious, it’s susceptible to disruption. External elements such as nutrition, stress, and, yes, even the accessories we wear can sway the delicate balance of hair health.

If you’re concerned, talk to your provider about ways to protect your hair roots. And be sure to give your hair a break—remove tight headgear when possible or rotate hairstyles to let your roots recover. If you’ve noticed thinning hair, clumps of hair in the shower or bald patches, you might be dealing with alopecia.

While it may only be a few, it’s enough to make you want to bin your bucket hat for fear of worsening a receding hairline. Toupees are a hassle to put on and take off and need regular maintenance. Given how much effort this can be, some people don’t remove them at the end of each day. If you leave a toupee on for days on end, you’re not allowing your skin or hair follicles to breathe.

These include close-fitted durags, swim caps, and even tight fitting fedoras. These head coverings can rub against your scalp, irritating your skin and even breaking thin, weak hair strands. The commonly repeated idea that stress makes your hair fall out is, thankfully, largely false.