Bottom line: Occasionally going to bed with wet hair isn't catastrophic. Just don't make it a regular practice. “Drying your hair to at least 75 percent before bed, using a microfiber towel, and applying heat protection for blow-drying can safeguard your hair and scalp health,” Dr. Stephens says.
Sleeping with wet hair risks a fungal or bacterial infection on your scalp. The moisture remains trapped around your follicles and gives bacteria the perfect breeding ground. The warm, wet environment allows microbes to swarm! In addition, fungus and bacteria can contaminate your bedding and your sheets.
Yes, but it's best if you blot out as much excess moisture as possible. There is quite a difference between soaking wet hair and damp hair. Allowing hair to air dry is an excellent way to prevent heat or other styling damage. Just make sure that the roots are allowed to dry as much as possible before sleeping.
Proper Drying and Conditioning: After wetting your hair, it's important to properly dry and condition it. Leaving your hair wet for extended periods of time can lead to dryness and damage. Make sure to gently towel dry or use a blow dryer on a low heat setting to remove excess moisture.
In general, while it's not ideal to have wet hair outside for long periods, occasional exposure is unlikely to cause significant damage. If you can, it's best to dry your hair before heading outdoors, especially in extreme weather conditions.
But is sleeping with wet hair truly harmful? While it's not “bad” for your health in the sense of causing disease or permanent damage, the hair's increased fragility when wet can potentially lead to mechanical damage over time, especially if you toss and turn a lot during sleep.
Researchers found the hair's cell membrane (the material that 'glues' hair cells together) was only damaged in the naturally dried group due to staying in contact with water for longer. They also found that using the proper technique when blow drying is better for the health of your hair.
Believe it or not, the simple act of repeatedly wetting your hair alone can be bad for your hair. "Wetting the hair repeatedly (and then using heat to dry it) can weaken the cortex and cuticle layers of the hair," Longsworth says. "And if the hair stays wet for extended periods of time, hygral fatigue can be an issue."
Allowing your hair to air dry as much as possible is the gentlest way to go. Air drying minimizes heat exposure and, subsequently, the risk of heat-induced damage.
Bottom line: Occasionally going to bed with wet hair isn't catastrophic. Just don't make it a regular practice. “Drying your hair to at least 75 percent before bed, using a microfiber towel, and applying heat protection for blow-drying can safeguard your hair and scalp health,” Dr.
Sleeping with wet hair tied up in a tight bun or ponytail can increase the strain on those fragile follicles, so it's best to steer clear of styles like these at night. But even if you sleep with your wet hair freely flowing, you might still experience breakage.
For one, it can cause breakage if you're running your fingers through wet hair roughly. In its vulnerable state, hair is ready to break, so even if you don't mean to, you might damage your hair.
Wet Hair Can Cause Your Hair to Become Oily and Gritty
If you don't have time to dry your hair properly before bed, this sebum will stay on your strands and make them look greasy.
You need to come into contact with the fluids to be infected by the viruses. This usually happens when people who are sick sneeze, cough or blow their noses. Wet hair won't make you more attractive to viruses and doesn't increase your chances of getting sick.
Generally, he says, the range is somewhere between once a day and once a week. “If you have very fine or thin hair, you may need to wash more often, while those with thick or curly hair may need to wash less often,” says Dr Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand, a double board certified dermatologist and hair health expert.
Air-drying, a low-maintenance option, benefits from shaking out the hair and using a wide-tooth comb to maintain ventilation and prevent tangles. Applying a heat protectant and using a wide-tooth comb on wet hair can facilitate the process without causing strain or breakage.
Instead of drying your hair with a towel post-shower, swap it for a cotton T-shirt. “When hair is wet, it becomes weaker and softer,” explains hairstylist Isabella Vázquez. “If we use a regular towel to dry it, the grooves of the towel become aggressors to the cuticle of the hair.
It should only be slightly damp, and definitely not completely wet. Sleeping with completely wet hair damages the follicle and causes breakage, so you'll want to blast it with the hairdryer to dry out 70 per cent of your hair or let it naturally dry till it's just a little damp,” says Sabanayagam.
The no-poo (or “no shampoo”) method is a hair-cleansing technique that removes shampoo from the equation, says Yadav. Instead of using shampoo, followers of the practice use alternatives such as apple cider vinegar, a cleansing conditioner, or just plain water.
If you shower at night and you don't like to blow dry, you're likely dealing with knotted, frizzy, and brittle strands in the morning. Going to sleep with really wet hair can contribute to waking up with a funky case of bedhead, even for those with great hair.
But here's a surprising fact: Air drying can actually cause more damage to your hair than blow drying it. “It may seem counterintuitive since we're all aware of heat damage. However, blow drying is actually gentler on most hair types,” explains hairdresser Dejan Garz.
There's no denying that towels can be harsh on your skin. This can lead to unwanted redness and can especially irritate those with sensitive skin. Air-drying your face allows you to ditch the rough, irritating towel and give your skin a much-needed breather with no rubbing required.