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So i'm growing my hair long for the first time and I am definitely in the awkward stage. My hair is thick and wavy/slightly curly so it looks pretty wild now that it's grown for a couple months.
To hide this and out of laziness I have been just throwing on a ball cap everyday when I wake up. I have a job where that is the norm, so except when I sleep I am wearing my ball cap. Is that bad for hair or anything like that? I know some guys who have long hair that wear hats a lot but I have heard before that hats will accelerate balding.
If I was nitpicking, here are my thoughts:
- If the temperature is warm or you're doing a lot of heavy work, you'll be sweating. Be prepared to deal with sweaty baseball caps. (This is probably a non-issue, considering that you already are familiar with wearing a ball cap regularly. I'm not.)
- The amount of hair inside the cap is the same amount whether you're wearing it out or not. This means that if you don't take it off during the day and you check the end during the night, all of the hair that would normally leave a trail behind you is stuck inside the hat. Ergo, you get the 'balding scare'.
- Wearing your hair in a certain way would mold it to a certain shape. So if you have your hair pulled back when you put on your baseball cap, expect it to keep that shape when you take it off... at least for some time. It's also known as hat hair, and if you keep it consistent, that certain section of the hair would reform into that shape. This is why people with stick straight hair that regularly tuck it behind their ears get that stupid curl at the end... at least in the beginning.
- Possibility of getting tangles with a bad snapback...
But if it helps keep it manageable, go for it. Just make sure to brush every day.
Def brush EVERYDAY. Wearing a hat shouldn't be too bad. I wore beanies for quite some time during my awkward stage so you are not alone. Just make sure to keep your hats clean because you'd add insult to injury by putting junky hats on a clean head.
Hats only do damage when they cause undue friction. So, if your hat has a regular soft band, it should be fine. And, if it helps you wait out the awkward stage, it is doing you a Big Favor. Good luck, persevere. It's worth it.
Hi Mike!
As you probably have heard, there are tons of urban legends going around when it comes to using headwear and the affects it has on hair growth and retention.
Now, despite what people might try to sell you, you will not go bald or receive a higher hairline because you went with a ballcap or a beanie for a year or so. As mentioned here in this thread, as long as they are not cutting the blood flow to your scalp by being EXTREMELY tight, they are doing their job in helping you through the awkward stage, and are absolutely priceless!
Here, after having been growing my hair for almost 5 months now, I am definitely starting to feel the awkward stage creeping in, and I love both my beanies and my ballcaps as solutions on bad hair days, and as an alternative to slicking it all back with a ton of gel.
Stick to your ballcaps, and have fun, my friend! One day you will remove that ballcap only to be surprised to relize you are way into your journey as a longhair! :)
Hi MikeM,
I really think that myth about hats causing baldness comes from people who are already bald that wear hats. They want you to think that the caps are causing them to be bald. Did you ever notice that a lot of men who wear caps are bald? I believe our genes dictate whether we go bald or not. I would be much more worried about what I use to tie a ponytail than wearing caps. I say wear all the caps you want, but definitely make sure the snap back part does not snag your hair. Hope this helps.
Ted
Wearing a hat will not accelerate balding. MPB is inherited. If you are shedding noticeable amounts of hair, this pattern is most likely inherited. Hair follicle cells are very tough if protected from DHT. Just try pulling out your nose or beard hairs. Wear a hat if that is your preference.
Don