Understanding What Makes You Sick in Cold Weather: Insights from a Doctor

It’s perfectly fine to disregard this advice.

A familiar phrase has echoed in homes for generations, often heard when someone is in a hurry: “Don’t go outside with wet hair, or you’ll catch a cold!”

As we navigate through cold and flu season, this long-standing myth may be echoing in your mind. However, one internal medicine expert clarifies that there’s no scientific backing for the notion that stepping outside with wet hair can lead to a cold.

“The idea that wet hair can cause a cold is simply a misconception,” stated Dr. Christopher Choi, a board-certified internist based in Las Vegas, in an interview with The Post.

“Wet hair does not directly cause you to catch a cold,” he elaborated. “Colds are primarily caused by viruses, especially rhinoviruses.”

Rhinoviruses are recognized as the leading cause of the common cold, accounting for approximately 50% to 70% of reported cases.

According to Dr. Choi, the two main ways through which rhinoviruses spread are “by coming into close contact with someone who is infected and coughing, allowing droplets to be inhaled, or by touching a contaminated surface and then bringing your hands to your face.”

That dispels one myth. But why do some people feel they catch colds whenever they ignore this old wives’ tale?

“While wet hair doesn’t directly lead to colds, it might cause a slight drop in body temperature, which could minimally contribute to the likelihood of becoming ill,” Dr. Choi noted.

Nevertheless, the main factor is likely the weather conditions rather than the state of your hair, especially since “there is some evidence that the rhinovirus thrives better in cooler temperatures,” Dr. Choi explained.

Additionally, cold weather may impair your immune system, increasing your vulnerability to infections.

Exposure to cold air also causes the blood vessels in your nasal passages to constrict.

This constriction means you have less protection against rhinoviruses, as “the primary route of transmission is through the nasal passages,” Dr. Choi pointed out.