Many bikers cite hair fall/loss as the major reason for not wearing a helmet during a ride. Maybe they aren’t aware of the fine imposed for driving without a helmet.
But, their fear is true to some extent but not inevitable.
With the right kind of helmet size and some simple tips, one can wear a helmet without damaging their hair.
It takes a tad bit of effort from your side but hey, you are committed to protecting your hair no matter what.
Take a look at this list to know how to protect your hair from helmet usage.
1. Always Wear A Clean Helmet
How about a warm shower with an aromatic body wash? Relaxing!
Imagine walking out of the shower and wearing stinky clothes that haven’t been washed since months or years in the worst case…
Would your skin love that? Noooooo.
Daisy fresh clothes are what your body needs.
Your hair needs freshness too. This is what people often forget which adds up to their poor hair care habits. Your hair needs a clean helmet.
As the space between the inner surface of the helmet and your hair is almost zero, there is no proper ventilation (despite the vents for airflow which is good enough for the face).
The lack of proper ventilation to your hair makes your head produce a lot of sweat which obviously makes your hair drenched. Then the sweat is absorbed by the foam of the helmet. With regular use of the helmet, more sweat deposits will get accumulated within the helmet. This may result in developing and spreading of dandruff on your scalp which weakens the hair roots, eventually resulting in hair loss.
So, something as simple as an unclean helmet can cost you your hair.
That’s why it is important to wash your helmet regularly from inside-out.
2. Wear Your Helmet In The Right Way
A little difference in the way you wear your helmet can protect your hair in the long run.
When you fasten the belt of your helmet, you may set it at the point where it seems fitting your head perfectly. This is where you do not see that it is in fact tightened for your hair.
Tightening your helmet suffocates your hair to become lifeless and eventually fall down. Suffocation of hair leads to sweating that results in many scalp problems and damages your hair and sucks the healthy vibe out of it.
Do not fix your helmet’s belt tightly. Loosen it a little from your ‘fit’ point and let your hair feel free in its own place.
While choosing your helmet, check thoroughly if the shape of the helmet demands you to fasten the belt tightly so as to not tilt. If it does, do not pick it.
Make sure that the interior of the helmet doesn’t stick straight onto your head but leaves little space in between.
Don’t let your helmet pull your hair out.
3. Follow Proper Hair Care
Your hair needs good care; it doesn’t matter if you use a helmet or not.
It’s important the you raise the standard of hair-care when wearing a helmet.
As we already got to know about the essence of a clean helmet, we now talk about clean hair.
- Wash your hair before it begins to stink.
- Don’t let dandruff establish its kingdom in your hair.
- The enclosure of the helmet produces dandruff and it is safe to clean your hair at least thrice a week.
- Do not choose heavily concentrated shampoos as using them often might damage your hair.
- Choose a lightly scented and moderately concentrated shampoo and conditioner.
- Use anti-dandruff hair products if needed.
How To Pick The Right Conditioner For Your Hair
Conditioning your hair is crucial whether your hair is dry or oily.
Remember that the conditioner is for the hair and not the scalp. Use a conditioner that moisturizes your hair tip and nourishes it throughout the length.
Hair that is too dry falls down more often than non-dry hair.
While washing your hair, set the temperature of water to normal. Piping hot water may feel soothing to some but it can damage your hair.
If you have dandruff or other hair problems, visit a doctor first and get them treated, otherwise wearing a helmet will not be well received by your hair.
4. Condition of Your Hair While Wearing the Helmet
Not just the tightness of the helmet but also the condition of your hair matters too.
Never wear your helmet straight after washing your hair. In brief terms, no helmet on wet hair.
On a side note, when your hair is wet, you need to ‘dry’ it. Period.
Drying your hair naturally is better than blow drying it. If you are short on time, blow drying is better than no drying at all.
When your hair is wet, as you enclose it with the helmet, sweat and water get mixed up and make it messier than you would expect. This messiness makes room for plenty of hair problems in the future.
If your hair is way too dry, wearing a helmet will only make things worse. The helmet’s inner side gives your hair unwanted grating which results in hair fall.
Use coconut oil to moisturize your hair. If you are not comfortable with oils, go for other moisturizers available.
But in the end of the day, what matters is the nourishment you provide to your hair so that it doesn’t end up as dry as hay.
5. Cover Your Head
The title says it all. Take a clean, cotton cloth and cover your head before you wear the helmet. This way, the helmet does not have direct contact with your hair.
‘No direct contact’ doesn’t mean the hair will not have any sweat. The cloth absorbs the sweat produced and keeps the hair fresh.
The helmet’s inner surface does not get damaged as there is no chafing because of the hair.
Wash the used cloth and let it dry before you use it again. Keep in mind that using the same cloth without washing is not a good idea.
As an alternative you can check out scalp caps (also called helmet caps) available in the market serving the same purpose.
Pick a scalp cap that fits your head well but not too tightly. Some scalp caps cover only the surface but not the sides. It is better to choose the one that covers sides as well.
Wear this scalp cap before wearing the helmet. Always clean your scalp cap every day to prevent fungal infections due to the sweat it has absorbed.
How to Maintain (or Save) Your Hairstyle While Wearing A Helmet?
Styling your hair plays a crucial role in the way you look. You gotta pay attention to your hair as much as you do to your face.
Men and women invest time in styling their hair before any important event or meeting. After a lot of styling and achieving that perfect look, you set out on your bike to the meeting place.
You reach the destination and take your helmet off. You look in the bike’s mirror to check yourself one more time. That’s when it hits you that all your efforts of styling have gone in vain.
BUT, here a few tips to stop this disaster, saving your hairstyle as well as your day.
1. Choose Hairstyles That Need Plaiting
If you are someone with long hair, choose hairstyles that need plaiting. Plaits have the least chances to be disrupted and will stay almost the same after using a helmet. You may just need to do little touch-up.
2. Use Beach Hair Spray If You Have Frizzy or Wavy Hair
If your hair is set in a frizzy or wavy fashion, beach hair spray is your best friend. After you reach the place, remove your helmet and spray a little on your hair to bring it back to style. Plaiting seems fine with wavy hair too.
You can also carry a gel or serum to give a little dab to your hair after you reach the destination. Don’t use gel before you wear the helmet as that may damage your hair.
3. Use a Bandanna For Long Hair
Another option is to wrap your long hair with a bandanna. Make sure the bandanna is clean and made of cotton. No harsh material, please. Wrap your hair in a bandanna and take it off after the journey.
The hairstyle remains the same and you’re good to go. No more “I just woke up” hair. Works well with short hair too.
You gotta wash your bandanna before your next use. Else, untidiness starts the cycle all over again.
Keep in mind that puff hairstyles do not work with a helmet no matter how hard you try. Therefore, go for minimal hairstyles with less complications.
4. Use Helmet Caps
Helmet caps prevent hair loss as well as keep your flattened hairstyle as it is. In fact, a flattened hairstyle is great for bikers to reduce the friction between hair and helmet, and also it is easy to maintain while biking.
Women can try flat-wrapping their hair and securing it with a bobby pin but have to use a bandanna rather than a helmet/scalp cap. It is true that bandanna is the all-rounder answer to ‘how to maintain your hairstyle while wearing a helmet?”
5. Carry a Comb
Carry a comb with you so that you can re-comb your hair if needed. A lot of bikers do that but never admit. So you’re not alone.
This way, you don’t have to wonder how to maintain your hairstyle after wearing a helmet.
6. Check For Helmets That Don’t Spoil Your Hairstyle Much
There are many types of helmets available which do not touch the top of your head and do not spoil your hairstyle. You can check them out if you’re too lazy to spend time taking extra measures to save your hairstyle.
Conclusion
Your hygiene and hair care habits count and contribute to the health of your hair.
We hope these tips convinced you to wear a helmet prioritizing safety and not compromising on hair.