Wearing A Hat During Your Workout: Convenient Or Damaging To Your Hair?

For most people, the last thing they want to worry about when working out is what to do with their hair. Keeping hair out of your face is essential for high intensity workouts. Some people opt for a tight pony tail or a headband, and even more prefer the security that a hat provides. However, there are questions circling about how wearing a hat for workouts affects hair health. After all, we've all felt how a hat can pull at our roots, and if the workout is good, we sweat even more under a hat than if our heads had no coverage.

Hair loss and hair damage are very real concerns as we age, so it's important to be informed about how we can keep our hair vibrant and healthy. While there isn't a great deal of research out there about the damage hats can do to our hair and scalp, there are some things to know about choosing to wear a hat during your workouts.

While anything that tightly pulls on your hair follicles puts stress on your roots, for the most part, wearing a hat during your workout does not cause hair loss. So much more goes into hair loss than just what you wear on your head. Hair loss factors include age, genes, medical conditions, and hormonal changes (via Healthline). Although there isn't that much research available on this topic, there is a possibility, however, that wearing a hat may make it a bit difficult to keep your hair healthy.

As long as the hat you choose fits loosely, it shouldn't affect your hair loss or growth. According to Cleveland Clinic, wearing hats that are too hot or too tight may decrease blood flow to the hair follicles, causing them enough irritation to make them shed. However, this would be temporary if corrected. In addition, a hat could cause more dirt and oil build-up if not properly laundered after a workout.

If wearing a hat during your workout is too convenient to quit, there are ways to do this without damaging your hair. When shopping for the best hat for your workouts, find a loose-fitting hat that can be washed after each workout. The trick is to find a hat that doesn't pull on your roots, stressing them to the point of damage. In addition, make sure to wear your hats in short increments of time. Wearing them for too long throughout the day can really tax your roots and cause extra build-up.

If you've worn a hat for your workout or throughout the day and notice hairs inside your hat when you remove it, don't fear. It's normal for women to lose up to 100 hairs a day, per American Academy of Dermatology Association. By keeping your hat loose, washing it after each wear, and cutting down the time you have it on, you can enjoy this workout accessory for each workout with no hair loss worries.