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Weather Works: Can cold, wet hair make you sick?

Meteorologist Taylor Stephenson explains the answer in this week's episode of "Weather Works."

MACON, Ga. — After a morning shower, you may be inclined to rush out the door without drying your hair, but in the back of your mind, you may be worried about getting sick.

But you cannot get sick simply from going outside in the cold with damp hair.

As we've all learned during the pandemic, in order to get sick, you have to be exposed to viruses. Those illnesses just happen to spread more easily in the winter time.

A tip that you may not know is that you should always dry your hair before you go to sleep during any time of year.

If you don't dry your hair before lying your head on your pillow, you can put yourself at risk for harboring bacteria or fungus on your head.

This is because those pathogens thrive in warm, moist environments and can cause diseases like scalp ringworm.

Additionally, leaving your hair wet frequently causes your hair follicles to become fragile. Your hair becomes weak and will break off more easily and not grow as much.

So no, wet hair in the cold can't make you sick, but prolonged times with wet hair isn't good for you or your locks.

That's how your weather works! If you have any questions on weather phenomena and why they work, email us at news@13wmaz.com. Your question may be the next Weather Works topic!

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