Hair Mold: Real Concern or Online Misinformation?

Social media users are panicking and rushing to blowdry their locks out of fear of hair mold — but is it really something to be concerned about?

If you spend lots of time on social media, you may find that there’s a new health-related risk to be worried about every other day, and the latest is apparently hair mold.

On TikTok, social media users are sharing their fears about mold growing on their scalps and in their hair due to lingering moisture from letting their hair air dry or sleeping with it wet. Some are even blowdrying it immediately after every shower to prevent it.

Is hair mold real?

Experts say that while there is some validity to concerns about having wet hair for a prolonged period of time, mold growing in your hair probably isn’t something you should be worried about.

“As a hair surgeon, I want to clarify that ‘hair mold’ is not something you need to worry about,” says Ross Kopelman, M.D., a hair transplant surgeon at Kopelman Hair Restoration.

That’s because hair itself is made of keratin, which is a non-living protein, so it cannot develop mold. Mold thrives on organic surfaces in warm, damp environments, but hair simply doesn’t provide the conditions for this to happen, he explains.

“That said, keeping your scalp and hair wet for prolonged periods could potentially lead to scalp issues,” he says.

That’s because when your scalp remains damp, it can create an environment for fungal or bacterial overgrowth, which could lead to conditions such as dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, or general irritation. But mold growth isn't one of them.

According to Geeta Yadav, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and founder of FACET Dermatology, bacterial and fungal infections are possible as a result of too much moisture, but they’re still quite uncommon. Even those who wash their hair before bed every night are unlikely to experience this, she says, as the conditions have to be just right for it to occur.

“If your hair is extremely thick and slow to air-dry, you're sleeping on dirty pillowcases, those pillowcases are contaminated with certain bacteria or fungi (such as the yeast Malassezia), and you're sleeping on damp hair multiple nights in a row without washing your hair and scalp, then you could get an infection that could lead to a dry flaky scalp, folliculitis, or fungal acne,” Yadav tells Healthnews. “But again, this is very uncommon.”

Folliculitis refers to inflammation or infection of the hair follicles, which can be caused by a fungal or bacterial infection. Fungal acne — also called Malassezia folliculitis — is a type of folliculitis in which there is an overgrowth of the yeast Malassezia.

Symptoms of fungal acne include:

• Small, red bumps on your scalp
• An itch scalp
• Redness
• Flakes
• Moist areas
• Pain

If you are really concerned but can't shift your hair-washing schedule to the morning, Yadav says you can always hit your roots with a blow-dryer until they're mostly or fully dry.

“Occasionally letting your hair air-dry isn’t a problem, but if you’re routinely leaving your hair wet for hours or tying it up while it’s still damp, you might run into issues like breakage or even folliculitis,” Kopelman adds. “For healthier hair and scalp, I recommend blow-drying on a low heat setting or gently towel-drying if you're in a rush to avoid creating these conditions.”

Avoid blow drying too often, as this can lead to hair breakage, damage to hair follicles, and impact healthy hair growth.

Extensions can grow mold

While mold isn’t likely to grow on natural hair, Dawna Jarvis, a hair extensions specialist, says hair mold can be a very real concern for clients with extensions.

“Wefts can get moldy if they’re not properly dried after washing, following a workout, or from going to bed with damp hair,” she tells Healthnews.

Extensions, particularly the sewn-in or glued-in types, can trap moisture between the weft and the scalp, creating an odor and potentially leading to mold, she explains. While she hasn’t personally seen it, she says she’s also heard of people developing scalp infections due to damp extensions.

The solution is ensuring you’re properly washing and drying your extensions, making sure every strand is completely dry.