Scalp needs to breathe?

**ada_16** · 09-10-2013, 05:36 AM

So I've kinda started this new regimen. I'm very serious about my hair getting the moisture it needs. So everyday after I moisturize and seal, I put a shower cap over it to lock in all the moisture. Then I put one of my scarfs on over it and go about my day. I've been doing everyday this for about a month and a half now.... my family is like "so um... can we ask whats going on underneath that scarf..." LOL I realized I haven't been showing my hair at all. They said they haven't seen it in forever! The only time I take the scarf and shower cap off is at night when I moisturize my hair, then the cap goes right back on with my bonnet and I'm off to sleep. Then I wash and condition once a week. I plan to keep this up until my hair gets to a length where I want to wear it out. My question is.......... is this bad for my scalp? Does the constant 24/7 use of a shower cap prevent my scalp from breathing? Does it need to breathe? Am I actually preventing my scalp from breathing which in turn hurts hair growth? I read that your scalp doesn't need to breathe. Is it bad my shower cap is airtight? ahhhhh help, I just like this regimen, but I wanna know if I should stop.

Thank-you if you read all that :$

**Phia** · 09-10-2013, 05:45 AM

I haven't had any personal experience with this, but I have read accounts of bad results from keeping your scalp in a moist environment all the time. Suffice it to say it wasn't pretty. I believe your scalp DOES need to breathe. Maybe you could alter your regimen to just 'baggying' your ends instead of your entire head.

**OHR** · 09-10-2013, 10:24 AM

Your scalp is skin. Having your scalp moist all of the time can result in all kinds of 'ickyness'. I would go along with Phia on just baggying the ends.

**chachadiva** · 09-10-2013, 10:30 PM

Why are you afraid of wearing your hair out? Are you afraid of short hair?

All that stuff you're doing doesn't mean your hair will "keep moisture."

**coalblacklocs** · 09-11-2013, 12:01 AM

Yes, that is quite a bit much. While it is important to keep hair, skin, etc moisturized, it is still important to keep it dry. Moisturized does not mean never ever dry. Moisture is on the inside, if that makes any sense.

I have sebbhoreic dermititis of the scalp, which might be related to fungus, and my scalp was miserable without being aired out. We're talking big hot peeling itchy oozy weapy spots on scalp. As a matter of fact, my hair, when loose, is so dense at the scalp that when I tried to wash and go, the water would just sit against my scalp and cause my scalp issues to flare up. My scalped got so much better after starting locs, because water tends to fall down into the loc and not just sit at my scalp like it use to,

Id be very concerned about fungi and bacteria issues without giving you scalp the proper air flow, and that could be detrimental to your hair growth and health.

**Lockolatte** · 09-11-2013, 01:19 AM

I approve of the above messages.

Just think about what happens to people's feet when they don't dry between their toes. Think about babies' butts if they aren't kept dry. Bad stuff happens.

**DeBe** · 09-12-2013, 06:33 PM

Fungus, mold and overgrowth of bacteria are the dangers of keeping the skin and/or hair constantly wet. it needs to be dry (as in no water) some of the time in order to stay healthy. The skin is a natural barrier to bacteria, it doesn't function well in a constant wet state, fungal infections will take hold and are a beast to clear up. Even if you send just the evenings with your hair uncovered, it gives the skin/hair time to re-balance. A shower cap 24/7 is bad news, save that for a few hours 2 or three times a week. Even 2-3 times a week is somewhat overboard in my view.

DeBe

**deecoily** · 09-15-2013, 07:56 AM

Originally Posted by ada_16

So I've kinda started this new regimen. I'm very serious about my hair getting the moisture it needs. So everyday after I moisturize and seal, I put a shower cap over it to lock in all the moisture. Then I put one of my scarfs on over it and go about my day. I've been doing everyday this for about a month and a half now.... my family is like "so um... can we ask whats going on underneath that scarf..." LOL I realized I haven't been showing my hair at all. They said they haven't seen it in forever! The only time I take the scarf and shower cap off is at night when I moisturize my hair, then the cap goes right back on with my bonnet and I'm off to sleep. Then I wash and condition once a week. I plan to keep this up until my hair gets to a length where I want to wear it out. My question is.......... is this bad for my scalp? Does the constant 24/7 use of a shower cap prevent my scalp from breathing? Does it need to breathe? Am I actually preventing my scalp from breathing which in turn hurts hair growth? I read that your scalp doesn't need to breathe. Is it bad my shower cap is airtight? ahhhhh help, I just like this regimen, but I wanna know if I should stop.

Thank-you if you read all that :$

Welcome Ada,
Personally I would not cover any part of my body in plastic for days. Your scalp has pores because it needs to be able to eliminate toxins and clean itself. If you cover it with something like plastic, you will be trapping in bacteria. Not a good thing. Your scalp does need to breathe. Wherever it was where you read that your scalp/skin doesn't need to breathe is giving you bad and dangerous advice. Just ask your doctor if you want a medical opinion. There is a lot of wrong and dangerous advice out there about natural hair so beware. People advocating overdosing on vitamins, sleeping with horse fungus remedies on their scalps, athletes foot cream... etc.. UGH

You can protect your hair without smothering your scalp. Protective styles and scarves are my favorite ways to give my hair a break from daily manipulation and styling. Do a search here and see what you can find.

Dee

**Bithiya** · 09-15-2013, 03:55 PM

^^^ Yep.

You aren't worried about mold/fungus? Or about stale odor from wet product buildup?
Keeping your scalp/roots damp 24/7 will eventually cause a mildew odor or some other funk: both bad for you, both bad socially.

The last thing you need is a fungal dermatitis on your scalp.
This problem can require expensive oral medication and harsh shampoos for a number of weeks, in order to give your body the advantage and turn you on the road to healing.
Besides, fungal dermatitis destroys the hair - essentially backfiring on what you are trying to accomplish.

It is true that most Nappturals come to realize that locking a little moisture onto the hair strands is key.
I'm just saying smothering the moisture onto the whole head is not the right way to get this done.
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