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Do Hats Really Cause Baldness? Fact-Checking 9 Common Claims About Hair Loss

There are few things more humbling than shower water pooling around your ankles because your hair is clogging up the drain. Or waking up to find a few extra hairs left on your pillow.

Despite all of society’s technological achievements and miracles produced by the human body, thinning hair is a condition that has yet to be cured.

And given the stressors of the past 18 months, we’re witnessing far more scalps than our eyes would prefer (Artist of the Decade notwithstanding).

But hair thinning embarrassment coupled with man’s collective inability to express their vulnerabilities has pushed this topic deep into the closet.

Fear not, the tide is shifting, and the hair loss preventing wizards at Keeps are doing God’s work to make sure of it.

But before we as a civilization can move forward, we need to clear up some of the common unchecked hair loss claims floating around in the zeitgeist. Let’s go.

CLAIM: There is no cure for hair loss. 

TRUE. BUT, there are proven treatments that can combat the symptoms. FDA-approved minoxidil and finasteride, offered by Keeps, are the most effective, cost-efficient options if you want to keep the hair you have today.

Flash sale – Get 50% off your first three months of Keeps when you sign up now!

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CLAIM: Wearing hats results in baldness. 

FALSE (kinda). According to WebMD, wearing a hat usually does not result in baldness, unless that puppy is strapped on like a wetsuit. Tight hats can cause a phenomenon called traction alopecia that puts pressure on the scalp and pulls the hairs, ultimately resulting in scarring and miniaturization of the hair follicles over time.

CLAIM: Stress can cause hair loss. 

TRUE.

According to the Mayo Clinic, stress can cause your hair to go into a longer “resting phase” in which hair follicles pause to regenerate hair temporarily. The good news is that if you’re able to address your stress and return to a healthy emotional and physical state, your hair will likely grow back. For many people, this just temporary hair loss that can be reversed over time.

CLAIM: You inherit hair loss from your mother. 

FALSE. Genetics do play a role in hair loss, according to Keeps, but that doesn’t mean the common theory that the gene is passed down entirely from your mother’s side. There are actually 287 genetic regions that contribute to male pattern baldness, per a recent study.

CLAIM: Masturbation causes hair loss. 

FALSE. But if you’ve continued to bop it under the impression you’d lose your hair, you may want to give him a vacation.

CLAIM: Increasing the frequency of haircuts will make it grow back quicker and thicker. 

FALSE. As a guy who relentlessly shaves his sparse “beard” in hopes of a fruitful follicle harvest, I can attest first-hand that this is complete rubbish. Hogwash. Tomfoolery.

The rate at which your hair grows back has nothing to do with cutting frequency.

CLAIM: Do women en masse find man buns sexy?

FALSE. According to a poll, about 35 percent of American women dislike man buns, and around 27 percent said they flat out despise them. In addition, 58 percent said they would never date a guy with a man bun, and 74 percent were confident their significant other would look less attractive rocking one.

Take that, Tanner!

***

Now that we’ve got a solid educational foundation, we are ready to heal as a male species. Don’t hesitate.

Flash sale – Get 50% off your first three months of Keeps when you sign up now!

SIGN UP FOR KEEPS NOW

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Matt Keohan Avatar
Matt’s love of writing was born during a sixth grade assembly when it was announced that his essay titled “Why Drugs Are Bad” had taken first prize in D.A.R.E.’s grade-wide contest. The anti-drug people gave him a $50 savings bond for his brave contribution to crime-fighting, and upon the bond’s maturity 10 years later, he used it to buy his very first bag of marijuana.