Other than not looking great in one, one of the main reasons I stopped wearing hats was the effect they had on my hair. You ever get the feeling that your hair actually “hurts” after wearing a hat all day long? It’s crunched down into one spot and won’t seem to budge, no matter how much you try to reshape it. Flattened hair, hair dents, and overall, just terrible-looking hair can be symptoms of hat hair, also known as hat head.

Avoiding Hat Hair and Continuing to Wear a Hat

Most people get frustrated when dealing with hat head because they want to keep wearing their hat, and they thing not wearing it is the only way to get rid of hat head. Not true! This kind of thinking actually causes people to wear their hats all the time so as to not show off their disheveled looking head of hair, thus making the problem worse.

In my experience, hat head is much more manageable if you’re just more conscious of your hat-wearing. Do you really need to wear that hat 24/7? Probably not. If you insist on wearing it all day, make sure to take break and run our fingers through your hair a few times. This will keep your hair more loose and manageable and keep it from getting too matted down.

Take Care of Your Hair – It Won’t Last Forever

Nothing lasts forever. And when it comes to hair, it’s usually gone before we are! So if you have any interest in keeping your hair for as long as possible, you need to combat your hat head by taking extra good care of your hair. Here are a few suggestions:

Hair Conditioner

Conditioner is your friend. It moisturizes your hair and scalp and makes for thicker, healthier hair by giving it the proper hydration and nutrients it needs. It’s not just for women! Lots of guys I know don’t use conditioner because they think it’s only for women; well, it’s not. And if you’re not using it, you, and your hair, are missing out.

Avoid Using Gels, Pomades and Waxes

These types of hair styling products will naturally mat down your hair and keep it in the shape that you style it in. Imagine laying this stuff on your hair, then throwing a hat on top. It’s going to get even more matted down and lead to more damage. Your best bet when it comes to hair styling and wearing a hat is hair spray. It can still style your hair without overtly changing the natural shape of your hair or the direction in which it flows.