Have you noticed your hair is becoming thinner and seems to be breaking off inside your motorcycle helmet?
Yes, it’s called traction Alopecia. You damage your hair every time you wear something tight on your head, such as a motorcycle helmet. The good news is that traction Alopecia is not a permanent condition, and your hair will grow back.
How can I wear a helmet without losing hair?
Keep your helmet clean to prevent any fungal infections that could migrate to your hair follicles.
Also, keep your hair and scalp meticulously clean. It’s not just traction Alopecia that causes hair loss. When you wear a helmet for an hour or more every day, you sweat inside the helmet, which affects your hair follicles. Your scalp needs to breathe.
Hair Loss from traction Alopecia is caused by pulling the hair backwards. To prevent this, you could wear a bandana made from natural cotton.
There are some very thin beanie style hats on the market that could reduce the amount of friction when you take your helmets on and off.
Excessive hair loss probably has nothing to do with the helmet but a hormone called DHT, which is responsible for male pattern baldness.
How can I maintain my hair while wearing a helmet?
For guys, keeping your hair clean and short is possibly the best way to keep your locks looking great. You may wish to pull back in a ponytail to avoid friction if you have long hair.
For the gals, some cool braided hairstyles will look good when you take your helmet off.
Using a scarf for guys and gals will help keep your hairdo together if you have long hair. Choose a natural fabric scarf or even a tube to keep your hair in place.
Scarves or bandanas or great for shorter hair and should prevent traction on your hair.
Avoid wearing a helmet if your hair is wet. Wet hair inside a helmet is the perfect environment for bacteria growth that could affect your hair follicles.
Take care of your scalp. Using an excellent hypoallergenic massage oil will promote blood flow to your scalp feeding the hair follicles and preventing hair fall.
Does riding a motorcycle damage hair?
No, it’s the helmet that can cause damage to the hair because it has to fit snug. The actual riding part should be fun and has no direct correlation to hair loss.
How do I protect my hair from a motorcycle?
Keep your helmet in good condition, make sure you clean it and sanitise it often to prevent bacteria from growing.
Keep your hair clean. Dirty hair can harbour bacteria that will affect the hair follicles over time.
Moisturise your hair. Traction Alopecia causes the hair to snap, and dry brittle hair will be more susceptible to breaking.
Regular moisturising with a good conditioner or oil will prevent hairs from breaking.