Mr Myth-busting: Does Wearing A Hat Cause Hair Loss?

Mr Myth-busting: Does Wearing a Hat Cause Hair Loss?

Graham Belmont

You might have heard claims that wearing a hat could cause you to lose hair. Or you might have come across people who frequently wear hats and have lost their hair, making you wonder, will hats make me go bald? Luckily, the answer is no. Like other hair loss myths, the notion that wearing a hat would cause hair loss isn’t backed up by real science. Though people with hair loss may wear hats more often than those without, it doesn’t mean wearing a hat is the cause of baldness. So, if you’re a wearer of ball caps and bowlers, rest assured: wearing hats does not cause hair loss.

Hats and hair loss

Contrary to the myth, it may come as a surprise to many that wearing a hat may actually lower your risk of hair loss. A US study published in the journal Plastic Reconstructive Surgery in 2013 compared 92 identical male twins for their difference in lifestyle and severity of hair loss to identify potential factors that may aggravate hair loss in males. It is discovered that smoking and the presence of dandruff were significantly associated with increased hair loss. Yet, the hat-wearers twins were found to have less apparent frontal hair loss than their non-hat-wearing counterparts. In addition to daily hat use, higher body mass index and higher testosterone levels were also found to be linked with less prominent hair loss.

What about traction alopecia?

While hats do not cause hair loss, it is important to choose the proper hat wear as wearing a hat that is too tight or pulls your hair may cause your hair to shed due to the tension. Yet, good news is that the chances of traction alopecia are slim – it’s quite difficult for one to wear a hat that tight. Remember, it’s absolutely normal for one to shed some hair every day as it’s part of the normal hair growth process. According to the American Academy of Dermatologists, losing 50 to 100 hair per day is expected. So if you ever take off your hat and see some hair sticking onto your hat, don’t panic. This hair should likely have already been shed as part of the normal shedding process and is not a sign of baldness that you should be worried about.

The actual cause of hair loss

As we have mentioned before on what causes hair loss in men, the real culprit behind male-pattern baldness is dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

The hormone responsible for your hair loss

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a male steroid hormone naturally produced by your body from testostreon. It is essential in male physiology and plays a critical role in defining the sexual characteristics of a male until puberty. During the prenatal period, DHT is essential for the sexual differentiation of your organs. This hormone is also vital throughout childhood and adolescence by stimulating the development of your male secondary sexual characteristics. Yet, in adults, DHT is considered the ethology of certain diseases. For example, DHT promotes the growth of your prostate, increases the activity of your sebaceous gland, and causes male-pattern hair loss in some guys. The relationship between DHT and hair growth is that DHT can bind to the receptors at your scalp and causes miniaturisation, a process defined by your hair follicles becoming smaller and smaller over time.

Genetic variations

Because of genetic variations, DHT affects people differently. For instance, some guys may be more susceptible to the effects of DHT and may start to notice their hairline creeping backward as early as in their 20s. When DHT circulates to the scalp, it binds to androgen receptors to turn on normal hormonal processes like body hair growth. Yet, variations in the AR gene can lead to different androgen receptivity in our hair follicles, resulting in our different likelihood of experiencing male pattern hair loss.

Other causes of hair loss

Although male-pattern baldness is usually the primary cause behind hair thinning in men, other reasons may also contribute to your hair loss problem. For instance, stress, diet, medical conditions, drug side effects, and severe infections or illnesses may cause you to shed hair more than average. Luckily, hair loss is not untreatable. By understanding your type of hair loss, different treatment options are available to help you reclaim your hair. In short, the idea that hat causes hair loss is only a myth. Wearing a hat will not cause your hair to thin nor worsen your hair loss problem.