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View Full Version : Does long hair make you too hot and sweaty?



krazykirsty07
November 5th, 2011, 06:32 AM
Hello, i have 2" long hair and soooo badly want long healthy hair, hence why i have shaved it all off! But does having long hair make you hot? I wear hats all the time atm and get sooo hot so can't imagine how hot it must be with all that hair! Also i've heard that wearing hats can make you get bald patches where the hat rubs against the scalp, is that true? Thanks =)

Madora
November 5th, 2011, 06:40 AM
It depends on the length and thickness. Most of the longhairs here wear their hair up, so are not bothered by the heat. Wearing hair down encourages tangles so it is more hair friendly to wear your hair up to protect the delicate ends.

I've never heard of hats causing any kind of damage..but you should take care to remove the hat from time to time so that the air can reach your scalp.

isabelx
November 5th, 2011, 06:42 AM
I have just past shoulder length hair and mine makes me sweat like a pig when I wear it down in hot weather. It may be because I'm an iii though.

SunnyRainStorm
November 5th, 2011, 06:44 AM
I think wearing hats make you warmer than long hair does.

Zesty
November 5th, 2011, 08:37 AM
When I wear my hair down I'm dramatically warmer than I am when I have it up. It's no problem when up, though, and since I'm cold a lot of the time, having my hair down isn't really a problem in terms of warmth. It's like wearing a capelet, and it keeps my arms warm.

Also, you should only have problems with hats if they're especially tight or they rub a lot. So it depends on the type of hat, I suppose.

PeachyWavy
November 5th, 2011, 08:43 AM
I can't speak for myself, as my hair's never been past BSL, but my mum used to have CL hair from the age of 8-14.

She always wore it down (I know, potential to be damage central! Strangely, it never looks damaged in any of the pictures...) and she didn't get too hot at all.

I do think the climate here in the UK has something to do with it though, it's always a bit chilly. So maybe it actually maintained her temperature and saved on coats ;)

celebriangel
November 5th, 2011, 08:45 AM
Not for me - not even when I used to wear it down or ponytailed (basically down, given my length at the time) all the time.

In fairness, I don't live in a warm climate and am fairly "cold-blooded". However if I get too hot I just put my hair up. It helps loads!

I love my hair-blanket in the winter.

MungoMania
November 5th, 2011, 08:55 AM
I wear my hair up or in a pony if the weather is warm because it would be sweaty otherwise. I love hats and have never experienced a thinning issue with the fabric consistently rubbing against the scalp. You're not the first person to mention that, though. I guess a lot of people really believe it.

heidi w.
November 5th, 2011, 09:06 AM
Hello, i have 2" long hair and soooo badly want long healthy hair, hence why i have shaved it all off! But does having long hair make you hot? I wear hats all the time atm and get sooo hot so can't imagine how hot it must be with all that hair! Also i've heard that wearing hats can make you get bald patches where the hat rubs against the scalp, is that true? Thanks =)

Not aware of hats causing bald spots, but it's an urban legend that's long been touted.

Hair on the head is normal. It is not the same as a hat.

Long hair causes sweatiness when worn down on a really hot and/or humid day. Up it causes no problems whatsoever. Most uber longhairs in my realm of length and longer wear their hair contained or up most of the time.

You get used to it. Thankfully har grows slowly enough that you have time to acclimate to it being present and how it feels.

ETA: On rarer occasions when I'm overly cold, I take my hair down. Very rare though.
heidi w.

nobeltonya
November 5th, 2011, 09:25 AM
in the summer I have to keep it up, because it itches my neck and makes me sweat.. in the winter, I like having it because it keeps me warm.

krazykirsty07
November 5th, 2011, 09:27 AM
Thankyou for all the replies! =D

darklyndsea
November 5th, 2011, 09:28 AM
Before I learned how to do updos, I cut back to BSL a few times because it's a bit hot to have iii hair on your lower back during Texas summer. But I don't anticipate any more problems, since I have it up most of the time now.

spidermom
November 5th, 2011, 09:44 AM
If it's down on a hot day, yes, it's hot. But I can put it up.

spottylover
November 5th, 2011, 09:49 AM
I get very hot with mine, but wearing hats makes me hotter so I never wear them. I usually wear my hair in a bun, and it gets very hot under there in the summer and during workouts.

IanB
November 5th, 2011, 10:00 AM
If it gets a bit too warm, I tie it back!

Tomoyo
November 5th, 2011, 10:11 AM
You're going to find yourself feeling warmer when you allow air to circulate. So if you're wearing a hat, you're allowing heat from your head to fill the space in the hat and consequently you feel warm. Similarly, if you wear super-loosing fitting clothes when you work out, you will feel considerably hotter, as air gets trapped between your warm body and the boundary of the clothes and gets progressively warmer and warmer. If you wear skintight clothes, however, the air reaches the clothing's surface and escapes your body quicker.

Same principle here. If you want to keep your head covered but not sweat too much, I'd suggest scarves instead.

Amber_Maiden
November 5th, 2011, 10:50 AM
I don't think hats cause any damage.

My hair used to make me feel hot, but that was in the summer, and I'd just put it up in a bun.

blondie9912
November 5th, 2011, 10:52 AM
My friend has waist length iii THICK black hair and it makes her neck roast during the summer!

jojo
November 5th, 2011, 10:55 AM
It doesnt now but when it was neck length and too short to put up yeah i was a sweaty head! you sort of become accustomed to its weight and how warm it is; I don't notice to be honest but then I live in the UK, in the rainiest part of the country so unless im away on holiday in warmer climates but even then i dont notice it as much as when it was neck length; it did my head in to be honest!

islandboo
November 5th, 2011, 11:43 AM
Ah, another advantage to thin fine hair! My hair really doesn't make me hot (unfortunately the flip side is that it doesn't do much to warm me in the winter when I would love to not be cold!). I find that hair on my neck doesn't make me sweat as much as sweating makes my hair stick to my neck which is an unpleasant feeling for me so I tend to wear it up (and now I am trying to keep it up all the time to protect it, but that is a recent thing and I have had hair past shoulder length for about 7 years now)

einna
November 6th, 2011, 06:29 PM
Well, being from Norway, thats not really a big issue for me.. But when I am on vacation in really hot places, I just put it up. Also, wet hair in a french twist will keep my head cool for a little while.

invisiblebabe
November 6th, 2011, 06:34 PM
In summer, I usually wear my hair up in some sort of bun. It's BSL (bra strap length) right now, and it was long enough to sit on when I was in high school. When it's up, it doesn't make you sweat more, whether it's just regular-long, or super long. :)

Alix
November 6th, 2011, 06:59 PM
It's easier having it long for me, when it's to short to put up it makes me super hot. But not that I can just bun it on top of my head I have no problems.

sassyholiday
November 6th, 2011, 07:01 PM
I have had long hair almost my whole life and I've almost never worn a hat! Too much risk of hat hair. I don't recommend wearing hats for people with long hair.

Modarunner
November 6th, 2011, 09:59 PM
I never wear hats with my thick hair. Even years ago when I would go snowboarding in the winter my hair always kept me warm my ex-dbf used to think I was crazy. The only time I was ever cold was when I put my hair in a bunch of braids and the cold air reached my scalp and my neck. My long hair does make me warm in the summer but I just throw it up in a bun and I'm fine. You can't do that with short hair.

Revontuletar
November 6th, 2011, 10:32 PM
My cousin wore a beanie every day for quite a while, he got bald patches everywhere! Since he stopped it his hair has grown back, so yes, I would say it's true. As for long hair making you hot, yes it does, even when I wear it up! Then again, here everything makes you hot in summer where I live!

Rockmoss
November 7th, 2011, 09:57 PM
I lived in a permanent bun in the summer. I worked in a green house conservatory with replicated temperatures and humidity to the Amazon jungle... my hair certainly made that job more difficult. It was a nice surprise to my coworkers when they finally saw me after the term was over with my long hair.

Even in the winter I find I can sweat at the back of my neck though. I try to put my hair up and in a hat so there is circulation, and take it down when my body has regulated its temperature. Think of your hair like a little blanket.

princessashley
November 7th, 2011, 10:01 PM
Honestly, long hair can make you very hot when it is grown out, but if you ask me it is worth it! The feeling of long free-flowing hair in the hot summer air, or in your car is such an amazing feeling. I'd choose that any day ^_^

Revontuletar
November 7th, 2011, 10:33 PM
Honestly, long hair can make you very hot when it is grown out, but if you ask me it is worth it! The feeling of long free-flowing hair in the hot summer air, or in your car is such an amazing feeling. I'd choose that any day ^_^
Agreed. When the wind blows through it, even though it does get really tangled it is great

intothemist1999
November 7th, 2011, 11:50 PM
It only makes me feel hot if I'm hot already and wear it loose (hanging down my back). Otherwise it's very good -- much better than when I had shoulder-length layered hair and all my sweat would make my hair all wet! Now, it gets damp under the bun in the hot weather, but I can undo it and fluff and it feels so good! I survive the summers much better than I used to , on account of how I wear my hair.

MrsGuther
November 7th, 2011, 11:54 PM
When it is hot and humid outside I wear my hair up for sure to combat the over heated feeling. I usually wear my hair up 95% of the time anyways so it's not a big deal to me.

krazykirsty07
November 8th, 2011, 12:14 AM
Thanks for all the replies! I'm thinking maybe long hair wont be right for me, i get hot very easily, just walking own the street in the winter i sweat like a pig.....even when i'm BALD lol!

Revontuletar
November 8th, 2011, 12:32 AM
Thanks for all the replies! I'm thinking maybe long hair wont be right for me, i get hot very easily, just walking own the street in the winter i sweat like a pig.....even when i'm BALD lol!

I am very much the same, but I love my long hair, even on super super super hot days like today. You could always try growing it out and see how you like it then if you don't you can always cut it.

tigereye
November 8th, 2011, 03:17 AM
Only when it's down, because it's thick. I tend to wear it up anyway, because it means less tangles, and theres less weather damage. (ie. sun damage, wind tangles, dryness from extreme heat/cold)
But I do sometimes wear my hair down for this reason. I take my hair out if I'm feeling miserable, cold, and generally under the weather.

intothemist1999
November 8th, 2011, 07:54 AM
Thanks for all the replies! I'm thinking maybe long hair wont be right for me, i get hot very easily, just walking own the street in the winter i sweat like a pig.....even when i'm BALD lol!

Thank goodness, someone who understands how it is for me!

I posted earlier, and will reiterate that wearing a bun (as I have to for work, and which is not a/c'd) is what has let me survive the summer. A ponytail is good, too, but I can't wear them at work, and also, when my hair was TB the length rested on my back so it wasn't so useful.

Some sort of up-do is the way to go.

ETA: I've heard that very short hair is difficult in hot weather -- the sweat has nowhere to hide and just runs down the head. I think you will find easier as it gets longer.

Rybe
November 8th, 2011, 11:26 AM
My long hair only bothers me when it's super hot and sticky out. Then I can just put it up. But on the flip size when I first CUT my hair my neck was freezing for the first couple weeks, hehe!

jacqueline101
November 8th, 2011, 11:52 AM
I get hot with my hair down. Therefore I wear it up all the time. I don't know too much about hats.

TitaniaOfFairys
November 12th, 2011, 07:34 PM
Hello, i have 2" long hair and soooo badly want long healthy hair, hence why i have shaved it all off! But does having long hair make you hot? I wear hats all the time atm and get sooo hot so can't imagine how hot it must be with all that hair! Also i've heard that wearing hats can make you get bald patches where the hat rubs against the scalp, is that true? Thanks =)

I've never heard that hat can cause bald patches. Maybe if it's too tight, and you wear it all day? I don't know.
But not wearing a hat when the weather is very cold can make shedding and headaches (for me at least). I have very soft, comfortable hats (caps) and I love to wear them in winter, never had any problems with them.

I don't really like to wear my hair up, I only do when I workout. I love to wear it down or in half up-dos. If the summer is very hot, I wear braids, not because my hair makes me hot, but it sticks to my back if I sweat :D

Oh, and good luck with your hair growing journey :)

krazykirsty07
November 13th, 2011, 12:50 AM
Thankyou =)

longhairedlady
November 13th, 2011, 01:43 AM
My hair is pretty thick and kinda long and it doesnt make me hot or sweaty. But I rarely wear it loose and if I do its in the cooler temperatures. NEVER in the heat of the summer will you see my hair down!

ScarlettAdelle
November 13th, 2011, 02:35 AM
I have super thick, curly hair and a TON of it. I get overheated when the base of my neck gets warm, so my tailbone length hair can make me feel like I'm on fire quite easily.

When it's straight (read:"flat ironed" yes, yes I know... it's very rare), it doesn't do this to me anywhere near as much.

Long_Curls
November 13th, 2011, 05:30 AM
My curls are very thick and I exercise intensely so I have to be extra careful with my grooming. It doesn't help that I am very picky with what I put on my hair.

I find that my curls exacerbate the perception of heat, which is useful during winter though.

KwaveT
November 13th, 2011, 08:44 PM
ETA: I've heard that very short hair is difficult in hot weather -- the sweat has nowhere to hide and just runs down the head. I think you will find easier as it gets longer.

This goes for anywhere on your body that accumulates sweat. If you shave your underarms then sweat doesn't get dissolved and drips. Same with your pubic area if you shave it. I have jet black hair so I especially get hot and sweaty hair with a hat. It traps that heat. I can imagine how this is going to be for me next summer because by then I am going to have long hair. I noticed this phenomen going on the other day with my black dress shirt tucked in my pants. I was getting hot and sweaty until I pulled my shirt out of my pants. I won't be trying that with a black dress shirt again.

cmg
November 13th, 2011, 09:33 PM
Yes I think colour has a lot to do with it too.

I have fine and thin but curly hair. This means that when it is short up and until BSL, it is very hot and bothersome, especially in the neck area. I use the bike alot, at least 30 km/daily and do work out as well, so its a pest sometimes. Putting it up only makes it worse. Then I would really have to wash it immediately.

But as soon as I grow it longer, then it pulls itself down and out of the neckarea and I'm home free. I rarely put it up in a bun. I used to braid it when I was younger, but not any more. Looks like a porcupine after five minutes :rolleyes: I do like hats though! I make alot of berets myself and put different decorations on them, so I always find an excuse to put one on. I sometimes take one or two hair lengths and put them inside the beret. Then when I take it off, they coil down and counteract any flat head look. Winter is a pest though, I live at the polar circle. I wish I could go without anything on my head.

Revontuletar
November 15th, 2011, 09:22 PM
About the short hair thing, my mum has short hair and in the heat it is always sweaty! You can always see it on the back of her neck, whereas with me (hip length hair) while I do get hot and sweaty it is not nearly as bad as her (well, not when I have my hair up anyway). I think that once your hair grows past a certain length and you are able to put it all up and keep it off your face and neck you experience the hot and sweaty feeling much less.

shannonsun
November 15th, 2011, 10:18 PM
Wow, it seems like I'm the only one here who feels that my longer hair makes me feel cooler than short hair did.

When I had short hair (3 inches), I would sweat a lot and the sun would make my darkish hair very, very hot.

Now that my hair is longer (currently APL, was BSL over the summer), my hair cools me down. I'll sweat a little bit in the heat, and if I just gently lift the roots with my fingers as though I was finger combing, I get a rush of "cool" air and it cools my head down. It really feels good on a hot day. And if there's a breeze, it feels even better! Cools my whole head.

We'll see if this effect continues when my hair is at my goal length of waist. :)