Is It Bad to Sleep With Wet Hair? Not for Colds, but Yes for Breakage

Is it bad to sleep with wet hair?

Is it bad to sleep with wet hair? For your health in the cold-and-flu sense, no. For your hair and scalp, a little, especially if you do it every night. A Cleveland Clinic dermatologist says going to bed with wet hair can damage it over time when it becomes a habit, and a University of Utah dermatologist gives similar advice.

The argument usually starts with a night shower. One person climbs into bed with a soaked head, and the other warns about catching a cold or ruining the pillow. The cold warning is a myth. The pillow and hair warnings hold up better.

Will sleeping with wet hair give you a cold?

No. A Cleveland Clinic family medicine doctor says wet hair is not the cause of catching a cold; a microorganism, such as a virus, has to be involved. The CDC lists more than 200 viruses that can cause colds, and none of them comes from your shower.

The myth survives because colds are common in winter and people feel chilly with wet hair. We cover why winter really is sick season in does cold weather make you sick.

The verdict

What it sounds like

Why wet hair breaks more easily

Here the cautious side is right. Cleveland Clinic dermatologist Shilpi Khetarpal says hair can be more fragile when it is wet, so it is more prone to snapping, stretching and breaking, and rubbing against a pillowcase all night adds friction. University of Utah dermatologist Timothy Schmidt explains that water weakens the protein structure of hair, which can mean more broken strands on your pillow and in your brush.

The American Academy of Dermatology agrees that hair is delicate when wet. It advises against rubbing hair dry with a towel and brushing it while wet, and it warns that pulling hair back tightly, such as in a ponytail or bun, can damage it. Cleveland Clinic adds that tight braids or buns on damp hair can cause breakage.

What a damp pillow does to your scalp

Dr. Khetarpal says moisture on the scalp creates an environment where bacteria and yeast can grow, which can contribute to folliculitis (acne-like bumps on the scalp) and dandruff. Cleveland Clinic also notes that a warm, damp pillow is the kind of place where fungi and bacteria can survive and grow.

This does not mean one wet night will give you an infection. It means that a scalp that stays damp for hours, night after night, is not ideal, especially if you already deal with dandruff or an itchy scalp.

How to go to bed with wet hair (if you must)

Sometimes a late shower is the only shower. These steps, drawn from Cleveland Clinic, University of Utah Health and AAD advice, cut most of the risk:

• Blot, don't rub. Wrap or press your hair with a towel or an old T-shirt instead of scrubbing it dry.
• Dry it partway. Let it air dry for a while, or use a hair dryer on a low or cool setting rather than high heat.
• Switch your pillowcase. Silk or satin creates less friction than cotton.
• Keep it loose. Skip the tight bun, ponytail or braid while hair is wet.
• Comb gently. The AAD suggests a wide-tooth comb: let straight hair dry a bit first, and comb textured or tightly curled hair while it is damp.
• Wash the pillowcase often. Our ruling on how often you should wash your sheets applies to pillowcases too.

When to see a dermatologist

If you notice dandruff or other scalp problems that don't settle down, Dr. Khetarpal recommends seeing a dermatologist. The same goes for itchy bumps, red or scaly patches, or hair that seems to be falling out rather than just snapping. A dermatologist can tell you what is actually going on, which beats guessing from a pillowcase.

The ruling

Split decision, with a clear winner on each point. Sleeping with wet hair does not give you a cold, so the person warning about getting sick loses that one. But dermatologists do say wet hair breaks more easily and a damp scalp is a better home for yeast and bacteria, so the person asking you to dry your hair first wins on hair and scalp.

"I've slept with wet hair for years and I'm fine" is an anecdotal argument; breakage builds slowly and you may not notice it. Easy compromise: shower a little earlier, or dry your hair partway and use a satin pillowcase. If you are still arguing about the night shower itself, see our take on whether to shower in the morning or at night.