Why do hats cause balding

Two studies of male and female identical twins did find a link between wearing hats and increased hair loss for the men, but not the women. In another study, wearing hard hats or military head wear had no effect on hair loss. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. The hair loss would be temporary at first, but it could progress to permanent hair loss over time.

So a loosely fitting fedora may be a safer bet than a tight knit cap or baseball hat. The materials used in a hat—the dyes or textiles, for example—could also play into hair loss, says Dr. Adam Friedman, a professor of dermatology at George Washington University.

If someone were already going bald due to other factors, like a genetic predisposition, this inflammation-induced shedding could speed up the process of hair loss, he says. In rare cases, wearing a hat while you sweat could also be a factor. But Friedman and other experts say that for most people, these are unlikely to be serious risk factors. Contact us at letters time. By Markham Heid. Genetic hair loss usually occurs slowly during adulthood. Men tend to lose the hair above their foreheads or on a bald spot on top of their head first.

Women tend to experience an overall thinning of their hair. Pregnancy , childbirth , menopause , and thyroid problems can all affect the levels of hormones in your body, and affect your hair growth and loss. Ringworm , a fungal skin infection, can also cause hair to fall off the scalp. Diabetes , lupus , and significant weight loss can also lead to hair loss on the scalp. Some people experience hair loss as a side effect of taking certain kinds of medications , including drugs for treating:.

Radiation therapy to the head may also cause hair loss and result in thin hair growth when it does grow back. High stress levels are associated with several hair loss conditions. One of the most common is called alopecia areata. This is an autoimmune condition triggered by stress. It causes patchy hair loss all over the scalp. Some people pull out their own hair as a way of dealing with negative or uncomfortable feelings.

This condition is called trichotillomania. Experiencing a stressful event such as physical or emotional shock may result in a general thinning of hair after several months. Usually this kind of hair loss is temporary. Overtreatment and over-styling of hair can also cause hair loss.

Styles such as very tight pigtails or cornrows can cause traction alopecia , a kind of gradual hair loss caused by a continuous pulling force applied to the hair. Hot oil hair treatments and permanents perms may harm the hair follicles on top of your head, causing them to become inflamed and the hair to fall out.

If the hair follicles begin to scar, the hair might be lost permanently. However, as a preventative measure, you may want to avoid wearing excessively tight hats.