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Igor
April 28th, 2010, 03:33 PM
I was talking to someone today and the subject of hair came up

I told her I always put up/style my hair when it’s damp and she does the classic “But won’t your hair rot then?” reaction

My reply? “If that was the case, we wouldn’t know what hairstyles the bog bodies had, would we?”

I see the lights slowly go on in her head. Point taken

One person snapped out of that ridiculous old wives tale, about a gazillion to go… :rolleyes:

Sarahmoon
April 28th, 2010, 03:40 PM
LOL, never heard it before, rotten hair :laugh:

missmandy
April 28th, 2010, 03:43 PM
LOL I've never heard of that reaction... I can see where they're coming from though.

Good comeback!

sarah061
April 28th, 2010, 03:45 PM
Lmao! I've never heard of that rotten hair thing either but that's the most brilliant reply I've ever heard Igor! Way to go :) Wish I could come up with the perfect reply like that.

Aleria
April 28th, 2010, 03:48 PM
Haha. I would have said "Does my hair look like it's rotted to you?", but your comeback is awesome. I didn't know people actually think that way.

SimplyViki
April 28th, 2010, 04:16 PM
:p I didn't know it was a wives' tale, but I used to be very worried my hair would get moldy if I put it up wet (I put it up wet anyway, quite often, and always marveled that it still smelled just like my conditioner however long after I washed it). Good point about the bog people. I hadn't thought of that, actually.

cmnt831
April 28th, 2010, 04:17 PM
I remember being told when I was little that if I didn't browdry my hair it would get moldy. Albeit, I had super thick hair at the time and didn't take very good care of it. Maybe my mom was scared it actually would mold and was trying to stave off problems before they happened? Now I have a good comeback if that ever gets mentioned again.... :D

Carolyn
April 28th, 2010, 04:36 PM
Great reply, Igor! I've had some ask if my hair got moldy when I put it up in a wet/damp bun. WTF? I can't imagine how mold would grow on freshly washed hair in a day's time.

chopandchange
April 28th, 2010, 04:45 PM
I remember a post on here that stuck in my mind, about a similar topic . A newbie was worried about braiding or bunning their hair wet, and started a post seeking reassurance that their hair wouldn't get mildew in it if they did this. Having read a lot of reassuring replies, there was then another reply from a user saying she once got mildew in her hair and had to cut it all off. :eek:

It was due to her being in the army or something and being in an environment where she was in permanantly damp conditions. Her point was that if your hair is wet all the time, it could get mildew. But maybe mildew isn't the same as it rotting away, so I don't know if this is a relevant thing to contribute to this thread. :o

It makes me slightly apprehensive about the fact that I always braid my hair after washing, and am thinking of switching to daily washing or rinsing since I want to start a more frequent exercise routine. Since it often takes a whole 24 hours for my braided hair to get completely dry, maybe this isn't a good idea, as it might mean it was permanently damp. :confused:

little_acorn
April 28th, 2010, 04:57 PM
Great come back Igor :D

berr
April 28th, 2010, 05:40 PM
If hair were to mold in damp areas, why aren't guys armpits moldy? Or down around those red joker lips? Moist, damp, dark, confined. Can we grow shrooms?

ArienEllariel
April 28th, 2010, 05:56 PM
That's the first time I've ever heard of getting "moldy" hair from damp bunning. Sounds very silly to me.


If hair were to mold in damp areas, why aren't guys armpits moldy? Or down around those red joker lips? Moist, damp, dark, confined. Can we grow shrooms?

:spitting:

Needless to say, that was a very humorous picture. :p

Thinthondiel
April 28th, 2010, 06:18 PM
I must admit that I can't make myself braid or bun my hair while it's damp (not that I do it much while it's dry either), because I imagine it might get a sour smell, just like clothes do if they're wet for too long (if you forget to hang them up to dry or something).

The bog body thing has nothing to do with this, though; the reason bog bodies (including their hair) don't rot is because of the acidic water, the low temperatures and the lack of oxygen. ;)

little_cherry
April 28th, 2010, 06:53 PM
:thumbsup:
Props to you, Igor! Epic comeback! :D

I've heard of the hair rotting thing...it used to be a massive thing when I was in High school, actually. I always used to put my hair up when it was damp...even wet.

slz
April 28th, 2010, 07:06 PM
Great reply, Igor! I've had some ask if my hair got moldy when I put it up in a wet/damp bun. WTF? I can't imagine how mold would grow on freshly washed hair in a day's time.
Well actually it can and it does, in very hot and humid climates - but that's not very common. A friend of my sisters' experienced it when she was living in Kenya (if I remember well). That would be mold on the surface of hairs though, hair itself would not rot, as Igor said.


As of mold / mushrooms in confined / humid places ... huuum, you don't want to go there, or do you ^^ ?

kittensoupnrice
April 28th, 2010, 09:35 PM
I've read some horror stories about dreads getting moldy if wax is used to help lock up them up in the beginning.

But that is a special case, where the water gets trapped in the waxy areas, which can lead to molding.

shadowclaw
April 28th, 2010, 10:33 PM
It was due to her being in the army or something and being in an environment where she was in permanantly damp conditions. Her point was that if your hair is wet all the time, it could get mildew. But maybe mildew isn't the same as it rotting away, so I don't know if this is a relevant thing to contribute to this thread. :o

As far as I know, mildew is a type of mold or is closely related. Something being moldy and something being rotten definitely aren't the same... something can rot and not have mold, and mold can grow on things that aren't rotting. However, moldy hair would definitely be something to be concerned about! That said, I really don't think you'd have to cut your hair off if it got mildew. I've had washcloths and towels get mildew, and all I had to do was give them a good washing and it was gone. I think showers can get mildew, too, and you just have to wash them with something special to get it off. The same should be true for hair -- if you were to get a case of mildew, all you need is a good washing.


If hair were to mold in damp areas, why aren't guys armpits moldy? Or down around those red joker lips? Moist, damp, dark, confined. Can we grow shrooms?

Hahahahahaha :laugh:

elina333
April 29th, 2010, 04:04 AM
I get a terrible itch if I put my hair up when wet/damp. My scalp gets irritated from being damp too long... Kinda like my sportsbra starts itching if I dont take it off immediately after working out. I also get red marks on my skin from it (the sportsbra, haven't checked my scalp for that :)) I dont think its mold or anything, but damp things on my skin sure doesnt work for me!

Liss
April 29th, 2010, 04:34 AM
I get a terrible itch if I put my hair up when wet/damp. My scalp gets irritated from being damp too long... Kinda like my sportsbra starts itching if I dont take it off immediately after working out. I also get red marks on my skin from it (the sportsbra, haven't checked my scalp for that :)) I dont think its mold or anything, but damp things on my skin sure doesnt work for me!

Sorry, off-topic a little (but just a little)... it sounds like you get prickly heat, usually from humidity and synthetic clothing. I used to get it on my back when I was younger and living in a really hot, humid climate. It actually lead to a type of skin mould that leaves discoloured spots on the skin. It's fairly easy to remove, but not just by quickly jumping in the shower. I guess if the skin can go mouldy, then hair can too. I presume that mouldy hair could be removed by washing, but I guess that it would need to become shockingly filthy and smell pretty rank before it started to rot.

Clarisse
April 29th, 2010, 10:33 AM
Perhaps it's a common myth in Denmark and Sweden... I've heard that one very often too, and it's so annoying. Hair can't rot - it's completely dead the momemt it becomes visible!
On a related note, I once told one of my friends that my dad chopped off his braid and kept it in a drawer when I was a little girl. She thought it was gross and asked me if it started rotting or got a bug infestation. Eh, no? :P

JamieLeigh
April 29th, 2010, 10:52 AM
Nice! :D Hahahaha!!

elina333
April 29th, 2010, 02:53 PM
Sorry, off-topic a little (but just a little)... it sounds like you get prickly heat, usually from humidity and synthetic clothing. I used to get it on my back when I was younger and living in a really hot, humid climate. It actually lead to a type of skin mould that leaves discoloured spots on the skin. It's fairly easy to remove, but not just by quickly jumping in the shower. I guess if the skin can go mouldy, then hair can too. I presume that mouldy hair could be removed by washing, but I guess that it would need to become shockingly filthy and smell pretty rank before it started to rot.


Thanks for this! Very interesting. Although this should mean that the scalp can get mouldy from wet hair then? :confused: Maybe not the hair, but the scalp? Cuz the itch stays for a while, so its a pretty bad reaction I get (from putting my hair up damp).

Capybara
April 29th, 2010, 03:00 PM
Great response Igor!! :lol:

I've never heard that before - about hair getting moldy - but now I know what to say if I do ;)

BattahZ
April 29th, 2010, 03:37 PM
Great response! That's nuts, I've never heard of hair getting moldy. I always put my hair up when it's wet, whether I braid, bun, or plop it. Goodness, leaving it to drip-dry all over my back feels gross!

jera
April 29th, 2010, 03:39 PM
Hahaha ! Igor where do you meet these people? You're like a weirdo magnet. :p

florenonite
April 29th, 2010, 03:55 PM
Perhaps it's a common myth in Denmark and Sweden... I've heard that one very often too, and it's so annoying. Hair can't rot - it's completely dead the momemt it becomes visible!
On a related note, I once told one of my friends that my dad chopped off his braid and kept it in a drawer when I was a little girl. She thought it was gross and asked me if it started rotting or got a bug infestation. Eh, no? :P

Wood rots, though, and it's dead, too.

Arctic_Mama
April 29th, 2010, 05:04 PM
That was a great response! Old wives tales are annoying, to be sure, I encounter more than my fair share of them during each pregnancy, but the best thing you can do is dispel them, in hopes that person will encounter it in the future and spread the truth.

Granted, some people's scalps don't do well with being Wet for long periods of time (mine is one of them) but it's not going to rot anymore than my kids' fingertips will fall off in the tub from pruning!

windinherhair
April 29th, 2010, 06:29 PM
I have to say I like your response. :D

Liss
April 29th, 2010, 06:54 PM
Thanks for this! Very interesting. Although this should mean that the scalp can get mouldy from wet hair then? :confused: Maybe not the hair, but the scalp? Cuz the itch stays for a while, so its a pretty bad reaction I get (from putting my hair up damp).

I really don't think the scalp would get mouldy from wet hair, at least I think it is highly unlikely. I think mould on the skin needs a continuous humid and damp environment where there is no air circulation. So unless you're sweating from your head while wearing a synthetic cap without ventilation, then I'm pretty sure your head won't go mouldy.

I don't know why your head would be itchy when your hair is wet. Maybe it is a sensitivity to a product you're using.

Tressie
April 29th, 2010, 07:38 PM
Well, at least she knew about the bog people, anyway! LOL!

princessp
April 29th, 2010, 08:02 PM
Hahaha! I've never heard that before either, but great comeback!

tinker bug
April 29th, 2010, 08:27 PM
I used to have to explain to my mom almost daily that wet hair does not grow mold and wouldnt have a chance to unless it was soaking wet and untouched for almost a week. She asked her hairdresser if wet hair can grow mold and the hairdresser agreed *facepalm*

Darkhorse1
April 29th, 2010, 11:52 PM
I would think in a chronicly wet environment, if your hair is always wet and tied up, it could get mildew, but I think it'd have to be like that for a really, really, really long time and I think mildew/molds don't adhere to hair like other objects.

I've never heard of that old wives tale before, but it's funny.

It reminds me of a girl in one of my 10th grade classes. I had classicly long hair at that point (past my butt), and I was in class and it was loose. I was leaning over a friend's desk as we were working on something in groups, and another girl gasped and goes 'my god! Your hair is so long! How do you wash it?"

My response? "Easily. with shampoo and water'. :D
Course, that was in the early 80s, when that mega layered look was fashionable.

elina333
April 30th, 2010, 04:05 AM
I really don't think the scalp would get mouldy from wet hair, at least I think it is highly unlikely. I think mould on the skin needs a continuous humid and damp environment where there is no air circulation. So unless you're sweating from your head while wearing a synthetic cap without ventilation, then I'm pretty sure your head won't go mouldy.

I don't know why your head would be itchy when your hair is wet. Maybe it is a sensitivity to a product you're using.

No its not a product, its from the water. I have the same reaction when working out and not taking off my sportsbra immediately for example. The skin gets really "spongy", red and itches like crazy. And it last for days sometimes. Its like fungus! Actually I think thats what it is when I come to think about it! :D Same thing can happen to your feet ;)

LadyMydnytMoon
April 30th, 2010, 04:59 AM
Well, hair's not made of living cells that died or anything. That's why they can't rot like other things that died. It's non-biodegradable, so no bacteria can eat it leading to decay... But someone did mention to me that it might damage hair if i sleep on it when wet.

Hiriel
April 30th, 2010, 06:32 AM
I must admit that I can't make myself braid or bun my hair while it's damp (not that I do it much while it's dry either), because I imagine it might get a sour smell, just like clothes do if they're wet for too long (if you forget to hang them up to dry or something).
My friend's hair once ended up smelling very much like a wet dog after she wet bunned it, but her hair was not clean, nor was the water in it. We were on an island with no fresh water, her hair hadn't been properly washed in days and it was wet with seawater, which is hardly sterile ;)

But it just smelled, like Thinthondiel said it's a bit like laundry that has been wet too long, and it went away the next time she got it wet and let it air dry.

Joette
April 30th, 2010, 08:09 AM
I'm sure it's possible for hair to get moldy...but it won't rot. After all, if one exhumes a corpse, the hair will still be present and in much better shape than the rest of the remains, as will finger- and toe-nails.

The good news, if somehow one did manage to get mold in the hair, is that the best way to kill mold/mildew is with vinegar. So all that would be necessary is a good clarifying ACV rinse and the problem would be solved! (This is the voice of experience. In 2004, my power here in FL was off for a total of about a month because of a series of hurricanes. Everything in my house made of fabric or leather started to mildew. A vinegar spritz from a spray bottle took care of all but the worst cases. The worst cases had to be laundered with vinegar to get rid of the mildew.)

EtherealOde
April 30th, 2010, 06:17 PM
Well, hair's not made of living cells that died or anything. That's why they can't rot like other things that died. It's non-biodegradable, so no bacteria can eat it leading to decay... But someone did mention to me that it might damage hair if i sleep on it when wet.

Actually, hair is made up of living cells that died. The part that is above the skin surface is dead, but the part below is living. And hair is indeed biodrgradable, just like other natural fibers such as wool, silk, or cotton, even feathers. I put my dog's shed fur into the composter, and it gets broken down just like the rest of the stuff in there. It does take longer than other materials, unless the conditions are just right in your compost heap. It breaks down a lot faster in a batch composter. The reason it tends to stick around in buried bodies is because specific microbes are needed to break it down. In their absence, it will stay for a very long time. Especially so in a bog, where the anaerobic and acidic conditions act as a preservative.

LadyMydnytMoon
May 1st, 2010, 06:16 AM
ah... cool. you learn new things everyday in the most unlikely of places. :)