Throughout the years, many people have heard from others that you should not go out with wet hair because it will increase your chances of catching a terrible cold. Many people go to bed with a wet head as well, which I am guilty of. Parents are becoming more and more concerned with this theory, and it is passing down to their kids. So, does going out with wet hair really give you a cold? Or is it just a myth?
In a survey conducted by Stephanie Watson, she found out that 40% of mothers said that if their children are out in cold weather with wet hair, they will get sick. So how did this theory start? According to Watson, it all began in the 20th century when a scientist determined that soldiers who slept in cold and wet trenches during World War I were four times more likely to catch a cold than those who did not sleep in these wet conditions. Due to this, mothers have become obsessed with looking into this topic and have not let their children out with wet hair. The theory that going out with a wet head will give you a cold is most likely a myth; so many other factors are more likely to give you a cold when you step outside. Having a wet head when walking outside will not cause a cold. Not wearing a jacket outside will not cause a cold. Going to bed with a wet head will also not cause a cold. So what does cause a cold?
You cannot catch a cold unless you are open to the cold virus. Hundreds of viruses cause colds. You can easily catch a cold when someone sneezes and/or coughs, allowing the virus to sneak out into the air. Viruses also stick to easily touched surfaces such as sinks and toilets, so if the virus is living on one of these surfaces and you touch it and then touch your face, you will most likely catch this virus.Scientists have discovered that going out with a wet head is not what actually causes the virus. They have found that the chilly air of winter dries out the mucus lining of the nasal area, which makes it so much easier for viruses to sneak in and produce a cold. So, the dry air is what causes colds, not a wet head.
Maybe colds do not cause colds, but they can possibly trigger a cold. Eccles, the director of the Common Cold Centre, tested this theory head-on. He placed individuals in a science laboratory in a cold setting. After they were placed in this chilly environment, the people then returned to their normal lives and talked to people who had a cold virus. These people did not become sick with symptoms of a cold virus. Then, Eccles conducted another study. He had a group of people place their bare feet in cold water for 20 minutes and another group placed their feet in an empty bowl with their socks on for the same period of time. In the first several days, there were symptoms reported, but the same symptoms were reported by both groups. About five days later, twice as many people who participated in placing their bare feet in cold water caught a cold. So, this could mean being in a cold and wet environment causes colds, but it actually “triggers” the virus. The actual cold air or water does not cause the cold, it starts a virus that already existed in the body. In Eccles’s study, people reported they had cold symptoms, but there were no tests done to verify that those people were actually contaminated with the virus.
So, throughout these several studies conducted…what is the truth? There needs to be more evidence and experiments performed to truly tell if having wet hair causes colds. In this point in time, being outside with wet hair or in a wet environment can possibly active a cold, but is not a cause of it. Wet hair causing colds is a medical myth.
Sources:
http://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/cold-flu/wet-head-cold2.htm
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120305-youll-catch-a-cold-with-wet-hair
http://www.uamshealth.com/?id=4993&sid=1
My parents always stress to me to not go out with wet hair and it always bothered me. I knew that having wet hair couldn’t cause a cold, cold are spread by germs. I never understood why though, this was a really interesting post and something I think we should all be cautious of with the colder weather coming up. It might not be the wet hair that gives us a cold, but it contributes to making us more prone to getting a cold. This website that I found has more information about the topic and other reasons that we catch colds: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/coldsandflu/Pages/Preventionandcure.aspx
I have to admit that I love this article. Since I was a kid, my mom started reminding me to dry my hair before going outdoor if I don’t want to get an cold. You bring up the cause of cold- the virus, but with the knowledge I get during my life, there’s two causes of cold, one is virus, another is cold weather. Like myself, if I stand in cold winds in the winter for a long time, I would start having a runny nose, maybe get a fever after. Cold weather, if we think like that, maybe a part of reason to lead colds. But like you said, it is still a myth.
This a great topic to blog about because we all know the “Penn State plague” is surrounding us. In classes all you hear is coughing, sneezing, and sniffling and we all know it’s just a matter of time before we catch it. Although there are some steps we can follow to take action against a cold. Wash your hands multiple times a day or use hand sanitizer. Either way, you must constantly be killing the bacteria that gets on you. Clean the surfaces of things you use like countertops or keyboards. Exercising can help beat a cold! Vitamin C has been said to help prevent getting sick. And of course, the over-the-counter medications that we all try can sometimes be useful! Be cautious and stay healthy.