How to not get helmet hair: 8 smart tips for bike riders

If you are fond of riding a bike, the helmet-wearing question is a common thing for you. To wear or not to wear? Should you protect your head during each bike journey, or it is much better to skip this step so as not to get helmet hair?

In this article, you will find out more smart and handy ways to prevent helmet hair issues.

What causes helmet hair?

Helmet hair is a common issue for those who enjoy riding a bike on the way to their work, study, or any other routine journeys. In other words, frequent helmet-wearing causes helmet hair.

When wearing, a bike helmet has a big impact on your hair:

• Putting a helmet on your hair creates constant pressure on the hair zone. If your hair is compressed during the whole trip, no wonder you will have a weird mark that traverses your scalp.
• Wearing a helmet always means certain friction movements during the bike trip. Since these movements are regular and repeated, they affect your hair evenly while you are riding your bike. As a result, you will end up with helmet hair.

Working together, both these factors cause helmet hair. Moreover, when regularly affected, your hair starts looking flattened, deformed, and generally awkward.

In addition, your hair becomes greasy much faster while wearing a helmet. This is one more reason why your sweaty and greasy hair looks so strange as soon as you take the helmet off.

Is helmet hair dangerous?

Besides looking odd and untidy, helmet hair is a kind of hair damage.

When this frequently occurs, helmet hair can lead to serious problems, such as hair growth issues and partial hair loss (also known as traction alopecia).

Since hair is regularly affected under the helmet, you can finally notice the signs of hair damage or even hair loss.

So, your destroyed hairstyle is the least problem that you can have with helmet hair.

Besides, pressed and sweaty hair makes a breeding ground for bacteria on your skin.

Is a bike helmet worth wearing?

As you can see, helmet hair is a notorious drawback of bike helmets.

For this reason, many people prefer not to wear a bike helmet while traveling. No doubt that wearing helmets is always strongly recommended, as it reduces injuries and fatal cases significantly. However, wearing a helmet is not a popular option as cyclists are more concerned about helmet hair problems than safety tips.

So, is a helmet hair issue possible to avoid?

How do I stop my hair from looking like a helmet?

The problem is common, it pesters a lot, so more and more cyclists reject wearing helmets. However, is it worth refusing and increasing the risk of extreme cases?

Fortunately, there are several ways to prevent this annoying issue and forget about this weird post-riding look!

Tip 1: Keep your hair dry and clean

The main point to keep in mind before wearing a helmet is that your hair is dry and clean. Don’t forget that wet hair is prone to form awkwardly if you don’t dry it properly.

So, wearing a helmet on damp hair is your not-to-do option if you don’t want to end up with a flat hairstyle.

However, remember that your hair should be naturally moisturized. It means that hair naturally contains enough moisture to be healthy. When over-dried and frangible, your hair will be easily damaged under the helmet.

The best and easiest way to dry your hair quickly is blow-drying. Neither drip nor towel drying can take all the excess moisture away from your hair, so you still have a risk to flatten your damp hair under the helmet after a long ride.

Keeping your hair clean is also crucial. As you wash it regularly, this is the best way to prevent greasy build-up on the helmet’s inner side. Soaked in sweat and sebum, helmets usually accumulate dirt during each ride. To avoid this nasty issue, don’t skip regularly washing your hair.

Tip 2: Make use of a comb

Having a small and handy comb is just the right option for you! It may be either a folding or simple pocket comb that you can carry anywhere.

As soon as you arrive and take away your helmet, comb your hair thoroughly. Don’t let your hairstyle set up in that flattened way!

Tip 3: Protect your hair

A good decision is to minimize the contact of your hair with a helmet. So, try to cover your hair before putting a helmet on! Place a head sock, cotton headband, or a gentle silk scarf between the padding and head!

You can opt for a silk scarf that you will tie around your head.

This simple tip can help you to protect your hairline from excess friction and keep its form. One more option is a wide sport headband that you can wear when cycling.

All these options will help you to keep both your helmet and hair clean. Since the headband or silk scarf absorbs sweat, it prevents greasy buildup on the helmet padding.

Just don’t forget to keep your head sock or scarf clean! As you can guess, it is much easier than cleaning the dirty padding instead.

As a variant, you can line the inner side of the helmet with a clean cloth or a scarf.

Tip 4: Keep your helmet clean

A clean helmet is also a key to the prevention of hair issues. As you already know, it depends significantly on your hair’s cleanliness. However, you still have to clean your helmet regularly.

When not in use, helmets are best to keep upside down so the ventilation keeps them dry. Regularly inspect the inner side to see any signs of a messy build-up. Remember that regular care prolongs the helmet’s life.

Tip 5: Treat your hair regularly

The right treatment will keep your locks smooth and healthy, and prevent any extra damage.

Opt for high-quality and nutritive hair products that are smartly designed for health treatment.

Always remember that natural products are your best bet since they don’t contain harmful chemicals that can affect your hair.

Choose the hair products according to your hair type. Use them regularly to keep your locks in the best condition, so that your hairstyle will look neat and well-styled.

There are plenty of styling products both for men and for women that can work efficiently against helmet damage.

Tip 6: Choose the right hairstyle

One more way to prevent helmet hair is to opt for the right hairstyle.

For those who have short hair, the issue is less likely to occur. You can manage your hairstyle just by combing or moving it with your fingers. However, long hair damage is a more frequent problem.

For those who have long hair, a good idea is to keep it fixed with hair ties. The main tip is to keep it tight so the friction won’t destroy it while you are on the way.

Prepare your locks for the ride by keeping them in a tight ponytail or bun. Making braids is also a great way to prevent helmet hair.

Avoid having a fringe, as it is prone to slick on your forehead and worsen the situation. If you are planning frequent bike rides, think of a smooth hairstyle that lessens the risk of damage.

Tip 7: Opt for a hair-friendly helmet

When looking for a new helmet, try to opt for one that is friendly to your hairstyle. It means that a helmet does not press your scalp when you put it on. Having some free space above your head, such helmets provide enough ventilation to keep your hair dry, clean, and well-formed.

Many helmets are friendly-designed. The high clearance design allows you to keep your hair ventilated and provides more free space. If your scalp is not pressed with the padding, your hairstyle won’t be destroyed.

Tip 8: Use a beach spray

A beach spray is one great solution for preventing helmet hair. So, a couple of beach tips can help you to keep long hair neat.

The beach style means making a high bun. That is a good way to avoid helmet hair. Managing your locks like this, you minimize friction while you are on a ride.

Apply the beach spray before you make a bun. The rehydrating properties of a beach spray save you from extra damage and help you to keep healthy hair.

FAQ

Final thoughts

Wearing a helmet is essential since it protects you in extreme cases. Don’t be afraid of the damage to your hair, as you can always try several tips on how to protect it. Keep your neat and clean hair under the right helmet, and feel a big difference!