Are you someone who loves to complement their outfits with different types of hats and caps, but have been told time and again that it would lead to premature baldness? Do you wonder if there’s any truth to it or is it just one of those countless myths we all have grown up hearing? Let’s take a look at what science has to say about this and put this debate to rest, once and for all! Does Wearing Hat Cause Hair Loss? The short answer to this question is no! However, there’s a catch. While the phenomenon has not been comprehensively studied, some research studies suggest that wearing an extremely tight hat, consistently, can contribute to traction alopecia in men 1 . For those who do not know, it is a condition that causes gradual hair loss due to repetitive or constant pulling of hair. But, no such evidence was found in women. 2 Also, there are studies that did not find any evidence for the link between wearing hats and hair loss. Healthcare practitioners, including dermatologists, are of the opinion that you may experience hair loss by wearing very tight or very hot hats as they could reduce the supply of oxygen and blood and can also create stress/pressure on the hair. If this continues to happen for a long time, your hair can begin to fall off. Another way hats can contribute to hair loss is by irritating your scalp or, at worse, by causing allergies or infections. Hats that are made of poor-quality materials, fabric and/or dyes, can potentially harm the scalp, especially if you have sensitive skin. As a result, your scalp can get inflamed, which then can contribute to hair loss. While all these factors hint towards a potential link between wearing a hat and hair loss, doctors do not give them much importance. This is because the circumstances in which wearing a hat can lead to hair loss or baldness are not much likely to happen. People are not likely to wear very tight or hot hats for prolonged periods of time. Also, if a hat is causing irritation on someone’s scalp, he/she is unlikely to continue wearing it.
What Causes Hair Loss and Baldness, Then?
A number of factors can contribute to excessive (abnormal) hair loss and premature baldness. And more often than not, it is the result of more than one of them. Here are some of the potential risk factors and causes of hair loss and baldness:
• Age
• Genetics (having a family history of baldness)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23629119
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22878477
• Hormonal disturbances
• Stress
• Certain medical conditions, particularly the ones related to scalp.
• Certain medications, supplements, and medical treatments, such as depression, diabetes, hypertension, gout and chemotherapy.
• Excessive or prolonged use of products containing harsh chemicals or tools that cause harm to the roots or hair follicles.
• Rapid weight loss
Conclusion
Hair loss and baldness are complex phenomena – there are a number of factors that can initiate these processes. While consistently wearing a very tight hat may play a role in triggering hair loss, it is not considered a significant risk factor by healthcare professionals. So, keep on wearing your hat without being worried about going bald!
Just make sure to buy good-quality hats, wash them regularly (just like you wash all other pieces of your clothing), and do not wear them all the time (let your scalp breathe).
