Can Wearing a Hat Cause Hair Loss?

Hair loss is often due to factors like genes, hormones, diseases, medications, and aging. However, wearing a tight-fitting hat or other headwear may contribute to temporary or permanent balding.

Hair loss occurs when your hairs fall out as a natural part of the hair growth cycle, but also stops regrowing. This can happen when there’s damage to the hair follicle, which may happen due to tension or infection associated with wearing hats and other head coverings, including:

• Baseball caps
• Hardhats
• Helmets
• Religious head coverings, including turbans, hijabs, kippahs, and others

Traction Alopecia

Wearing a hat or head covering can irritate and damage hair follicles and increase tension on your hair strands. Over time, this can lead to a type of hair loss called traction alopecia.

Traction alopecia is hair loss caused by pulling, stretching, or increased strain on strands of hair. The strain damages the roots of the hair embedded in the skin in your follicles. As a result, hair stops growing. It’s typically caused by styles that pull the hair tight, such as braids, buns, and extensions, but wearing a hat that’s too tight may also contribute.

Traction alopecia is reversible when caught early, but it can cause permanent hair loss if the strain or tension occurs regularly over time.

Folliculitis or Tinea Capitis

Wearing a hat may affect your hair in other ways. If your hats are too tight and not breathable enough, they can damage hair and allow sweat, bacteria, or fungi to build up. This increases your risk of hair follicle infection (folliculitis). Among symptoms like itchiness and pustules (red, white-headed bumps) near your follicles, folliculitis may cause hair loss.

Tinea capitis is a type of scalp infection that can occur when hats are worn that have certain dermatophytes, a type of fungus. More common in children, tinea capitis may cause patchy hair loss.

If you wear a hat or head covering often, there are steps you can take to help prevent damage to your hair:  

• Wear looser fits: Avoid hats that feel too tight. Choose looser fits that reduce the pressure on your hair follicles.
• Change fabric: Opt for light, gentle fabrics, such as cotton, jersey, or silk, that are less likely to pull or tug on your hair.
• Keep covered hair loose: If you wear a hat, head wrap, hijab, or other head covering, avoid styling your hair too tightly underneath. Looser ponytails, braids, or other styles reduce stress on the hair follicle. Prevent extra stress on your hair by not pulling too much on ponytails or other hairstyles when putting on hats.
• Alternate the position of hairpins: If you use hairpins to secure headwear, change their position occasionally to prevent irritation. You can also consider alternatives, like adhesive strips or double-sided tape.
• Know the signs of hair loss: You can call a healthcare provider or dermatologist (a skin, hair, and nail specialist) if you see broken hairs on your head, your hairline is pulling back, or you have bald or thin patches. They can prescribe antifungal or antibiotic medication if needed or discuss other causes of hair loss.

Regularly wearing hats or head garments doesn’t directly cause hair loss, but it may play a role in a type of hair loss known as traction alopecia. Hats and head coverings can also create a damp environment for bacteria or fungi to grow, which can lead to infections that may cause hair loss.

To protect your hair, try wearing hats and head or hair coverings that fit loosely.

If you’re losing your hair, other factors may also be contributing, including your genetics or age. You can talk to a healthcare professional about any concerns about hair loss.