Our hair has always been our crowning glory. This has always been the reason why people would love to take care of it to make it straighter, shinier, thicker, and more manageable.
With this reason, people would do things that could benefit their hair the most. One of these is by not frequently wearing a hat or a cap to follow an old belief that claims how hats can contribute to baldness. But is this true? Is using your hat really can make your hair grow thin?
Dr. Hayley Goldbach, a dermatologist at UCLA Health, shares through TIME that many have indeed asked her about the connection of hat or cap to baldness to know whether this myth is true or not. Though there are indeed a lot of claims and testimonies when it comes to it, the expert shares that "[hat wearing] is probably not a real concern." There is much more to it.
"Genetics are the main player in hair loss," explains Dr. Michael Wolfeld, a plastic surgeon specializing in hair restoration and assistant clinical professor at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. He further explains that the main culprit behind men and women's baldness is the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Once a person is sensitive to this hormone, hair follicles shrink and languish, which could lead to hair fall and hair loss eventually.
Another reason why some people experience hair loss is due to tension. Tension in the hair happens in situations like when the hair is ponytailed so tight. If you are wearing your hat or cap so tight in your head, this could create a negative impact in your hair follicles such as irritation and inflammation that could cause your hair to eventually fall out over the years.
Another reason that could cause hair loss is the materials used when producing the hat or the cap, such as the dyes and the textiles. "If a hat causes an allergic reaction in the scalp, that could cause the hair to shed due to inflammation," says Dr. Adam Friedman, a professor of dermatology at George Washington University.
To alter the effects of these factors and to promote hair growth, an online health blog named Health Line shares several foods you need to include in your diet. Some of these foods are eggs, spinach, fatty fish, avocados, berries, and sweet potatoes. Doing so wouldn't just assure you of a healthier body but also a more beautiful and healthier hair as well.
