Sleeping with wet hair? Dermatologists say it could damage your scalp and strands

LOS ANGELES () — Did your mother ever tell you not to go to bed with wet hair?

Well, she may have cited some far-fetched reason, but dermatologists say there is some logic behind this advice because your bedtime ritual can make all the difference to your hair.

“My grandma would tell me if you sleep with wet hair then you’re going to get a fungus and then you’re going to mess up your hair,” said Downey resident Liz Landin.

According to doctors, Landin’s grandmother wasn’t too far off the mark.

“Damp sheets, damp pillowcases, can be a breeding ground for mold and bacteria,” said Dermatologist Dr. Tanya Nino with Providence St. Joseph Medical Heritage Group.

She said yeast is a natural part of the normal scalp flora, but it can multiply in moisture.

“The yeast overgrowth is sort of a form of dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis,” said Nino.

When water gets locked into your locks, cuticles swell, making your fringes more fragile. So if you toss and turn, the friction on the hair shaft can lead to breakage.

“For me, if my hair is wet and then my pillow gets wet and it’s like a big thing, I like to dry my hair,” said Krystal Malhotra of Downey.

But could exposing your hair to high heat when you blow dry be even worse for your hair health?

“Over-processing and heat damage and heat styling, those are more of a concern for damage to the hair shaft,” said Nino.

Nino’s best advice? Blot your hair with a microfiber towel. When it’s almost dry, tie it into a loose braid for bedtime and avoid pulling your hair into a tight ponytail or bun. All that traction can injure your hair root.

“Then when you have scarred follicles, you’re not going to get that hair back,” she said.

It’s important advice Landin’s grandma would approve of.

“Taking care of our hair is self-love,” she said. “We can’t love anybody else unless we love ourselves.”