While your mother may have told you not to go outside with your hair wet – or else suffer the consequences – it’s actually the change in climate that can cause you to get sick, not your damp head. “While having wet hair could slightly lower the immune system, a person needs to be exposed to pathogens in order to get sick,” explains Dr. Michael Byrne. “Exposure to germs and bacteria increases during the winter because we tend to stay indoors and interact with more people.” This increased exposure in enclosed spaces allows viruses to spread more readily.
Verdict: MYTH – It’s the increased exposure to bacteria and viruses, not wet hair, that causes us to get sick. |