Helmet Hair Protection: 12 Ways to Prevent Helmet Hair


Wearing a helmet while riding your bike is undoubtedly the best way to keep yourself safe while on the road. However, wearing it for long hours can seriously harm the stylish look you gave your hair before leaving for work. Preventing helmet hair is possible, but it might take a little more planning than usual. 

To prevent helmet hair, make sure your hair is moisturized and clean, and avoid wearing helmets on wet hair. The helmet choice can also impact your hair’s health, especially if it is too tight. Styling products, braids, and head socks can be working solutions for short rides. 

Read on to discover the tips that will allow you to enjoy your hairstyle no matter how long the ride is!

Overall Tips to Prevent Helmet Hair

While wearing a helmet while riding your bicycle is not mandatory in the UK, it can significantly increase safety on the road. However, it is proved that wearing a helmet for prolonged time frames or every day can severely harm your locks’ health and look – not just the style! 

Indeed, wearing helmets can cause hair loss in extreme cases, along with more frequent problems like damaged locks, and even scalp problems. That is why, aside from caring for your look, it is essential to understand how to prevent helmet hair.

Keep Your Hair Clean, Healthy, and Moisturized

Implementing a regular and healthy routine for your hair and scalp can prevent many of the issues that riders face when wearing a helmet. Of course, this is important no matter your routine, but consider the amount of sweat and dust from the road that remains trapped within the helmet. This can lead to an accumulation of particles in the hair root that can aggravate conditions such as dandruff and hair loss.

You can keep your locks oil-free by using a mild, natural shampoo regularly. Additionally, using a natural moisturizer like Aloe Vera or Coconut Oil can help you keep the roots and ends healthy. In any case, you should ensure your hair is dry before wearing a helmet. 

Rethink Your Haircut

If you are planning to ride every day, you might need to switch to a bike-friendly haircut. Luckily, most short-hair hairstyles today are compatible with helmet wearing, such as an undercut with a side part. Instead, riders who wish to keep their long hair even when switching to a bike commuting routine should avoid a fringe, as these are trickier to style and maintain.

Select an Appropriate Helmet

Helmets that are too tight tend to pull the hair root from the scalp and eventually cause a condition called “traction alopecia.” While not extremely common, this condition can cause gradual hair loss and a recession of the hairline. Protect your hair by picking a helmet appropriate in size, ventilation, aerodynamics, weight, and price point. 

You can find some useful guidelines to select the right bike helmet for you in the video below:

Keep Your Helmet Clean

As we have seen, it is not unlikely for sweat and dirt to accumulate on your bike helmet’s inner side. This layer of body oils and dust can then get in touch with your clean hair, causing a worsening of conditions like dandruff and hair damage. 

Moreover, if you have just recently styled your hair, the sweat and moisture present on the helmet can disrupt your hairstyle. For a thorough maintenance routine, clean your helmet regularly and rest it upside down in a place that benefits from steady air circulation.

Line Your Helmet With a Cloth

Keeping your helmet padding always clean and free of sweat is not always viable. However, just adding a cotton or silk cloth inside the helmet can reduce the friction that tends to happen between the padding and your hair. Additionally, it is easy to wash such a cloth out once it has absorbed sweat and has become less efficient. If you have opted for this solution, ensure that the fabric used is always clean and dry.

Carry a Comb

Carrying a comb might not be a long-term solution for hair damaged by your bike helmet. However, if you don’t suffer from any hair condition but need to find a way to revitalize your hairstyle once you reach your destination, having a comb with you can help. 

Helmet Hair Protection for Short Hair

Being a balding man, like me, has its advantages with helmet hair!!

Short hair has it much easier than long hair when it comes down to preserving a hairstyle and remaining healthy. Short hair is often less prone to helmet traction and friction, which allows the rider to enjoy their intact hairstyle after the ride. Here are some tips for even better results.

Wear a Head Sock or Beanie

Wearing a head sock is the easiest solution to implement to keep your hairstyle intact, but it might not be a stylish solution. Nonetheless, it is definitely among the most affordable alternatives on the market. 

Models such as the EVS Sports Beanie also help you keep sweat out of your eyes while ensuring enough ventilation. If you have opted for this solution, make sure you are washing your head sock or beanie to prevent the accumulation of bacteria.

Invest in High-Quality Hair Wax

Hair wax can help you make your hairstyle more resistant to the environment, even when you are wearing a helmet. However, poor-quality hair waxes can cause hair damage, so ensure you are opting for natural products that don’t contain artificial additives.

Style Your Hair Often

While your hair growth and natural style mainly depend on the natural curvature and positioning of follicles, you can slightly train it to fall more readily into a determined position. Sticking to simple styles can help you achieve visible results quicker.

Helmet Hair Protection for Long Hair

When it comes down to protecting your long hair from the effects of a bike helmet, things can get a little trickier. Depending on your hair type, thickness, and style, you might find it more or less hard to maintain your hairstyle. However, sticking to a natural, beach-like look and avoiding haircuts with bangs can be helpful.

Braid Your Hair

Braiding is one of the simplest, most affordable solutions to prevent your long hair from becoming tangled and looking scruffy. Whether you have opted for a French Braid or Fishtail Braid, if you can wrap it in a scarf, you can also keep this elegant look after arriving at your destination. 

Loosely braiding your locks for your bike commute can help you reduce traction and friction, and leave you with soft waves that add a little dynamicity to your look.

Use a Silk Scarf or Headband

This is a variation of the classic biker’s bandana. Both silk and cotton can protect your long locks from the elements while keeping a simple hairstyle. While it can significantly reduce the possibility of hair damage, it is essential always to use a clean scarf or headband for this use. 

Unlike other antibacterial surfaces, scarves and standard pieces of cloth can cause an accumulation of bacteria that will harm your roots rather than protect it. However, you can easily prevent this by washing and drying your cloth often. 

Invest in a High-Quality Beach Spray

Whether you have opted to braid your hair or wrap a messy bun in a scarf, your long hair is likely to show soft waves at the end of your bike ride. Embrace the look and invest in a beach spray to enhance that natural, care-free look that many strive to achieve. 

If you are doubtful about investing in a commercial spray, you can create your own by mixing lukewarm water, one teaspoon of avocado oil, two teaspoons of sea salt, and a couple of drops of your favourite essential oil.

Conclusion

Looking after your hair while riding your bike is essential, but it is also easy. You can use a silk scarf or head sock to add a layer of protection between your hair and the helmet. Proper helmet maintenance can also benefit the look of your hair after the bike ride. However, what truly makes a difference is how you look after your locks when off the bike!

Sources

Matt Gavin

I am the owner of True Commuter and I want to inspire people to leave their car at home more often for their benefit, and the benefit of the environment. I have been alternative commuting for years now, and want you to try it too!!

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