Our mother might have warned us that walking outside with wet hair would make us sick. But is this just a myth, or can having damp hair outside make you sick?
Sorry to disappoint you, Mom, but the short answer is no. Wet hair might make you feel cold and unpleasant in a cold environment. However, it will not cause you a cold.
Colds, influenza, and COVID-19 are all caused by viruses spread by bodily fluids. To be infected by the viruses, you must come into touch with the fluids.
This typically occurs when ill individuals sneeze, cough, or blow their noses. Wet hair does not make you more susceptible to illness or make you more receptive to viruses.
There is no study to support an association between wet hair and the common cold. Only exposure to a virus that causes the common cold can produce a cold.
Nonetheless, a 2016 studyReliable Source showed that reductions in temperature and humidity over successive days may raise the likelihood of rhinovirus infections.
That indicates you're not getting sick from your hair or the weather. It's congregating indoors to avoid the elements, whether wet hair or not.