Words: Emma Sothern (Lady Alopecia)
A lot of the world’s wonderful women wear some kind of head covering, whether that’s a scarf, wrap, veil, hijab or dupatta.
In years gone by, even the women of rural Ireland would often cover their hair before leaving the house. (Before my time.)
What most of these women have in common, though, is something that I (and maybe you) don’t: a full head of hair.
Most head coverings for women throughout history were designed to cover hair, not to mask the lack of it.
And that turns out to matter more than you might think when it comes to finding your ideal headscarf for hair loss.
Because if you’re just starting your hair loss journey, or you’ve recently lost your hair through alopecia or chemotherapy treatment, one thing you quickly discover is that many headscarves aren’t actually designed for bald heads at all.
Some fabrics slip constantly. Some itch. Some trap heat. Some somehow manage to do all three at once.
And without hair underneath, your scalp experiences the world very differently. I’ve tried plenty of different materials… and here’s what I’ve learned.
What a horrible word “scalp” is. I don’t know whether it’s because it sounds vaguely connected to scalpels or old cowboy films, but it’s not a word I particularly enjoy either saying or writing.
But once you lose your hair, suddenly your scalp becomes something you think about constantly.
For the hair-covered, the hairbearers, the scalp probably only enters consciousness during school nit outbreaks. But for people with alopecia or treatment-related hair loss, suddenly the scalp is very much in play.
And as it turns out, the scalp is quite a sensitive part of the body.
Without hair acting as a buffer, you suddenly notice everything more: heat, cold, wind, sweat, seams, friction…and yes, fabric texture, too.
It’s a strange adjustment at first, to realise this sensitivity. It’s like you’ve grown a new body part you need to learn all about. And it took me a while to get to know mine: what it felt comfortable underneath, and what it definitely didn’t.
I’m a yoga teacher, and while I try to be mindful about my use of chemicals in many of the products I use, I’m not going around head to toe in hemp. Synthetic fabrics absolutely have their place in my world. My leopard-print yoga pants can attest to that.
But your scalp and your legs may react very differently to the same fabric.
The internet is awash with super cheap, super colourful polyester headscarves…and some of them genuinely look lovely. You could even get your own designs printed and dropshipped to you by one of Jeff Bezos’ drones by the time you’ve finished reading this article. What a world!
But if you’re newly navigating hair loss, it’s worth knowing that synthetic fabrics can trap heat, sweat and odours (lovely!) far more than natural materials do.
Plus, without hair underneath to soften your experience, your scalp notices the cheap fabric immediately.
If you live somewhere hot, or you just naturally have a hot noggin, wearing a polyester headscarf for a few hours can feel as if you’re slowly steaming your own head, like one of the dumplings my daughters love eating so much. (Bánh bao, for my fellow Vietnam dwellers.)
That said, not all synthetic fabrics are awful. Some blended fabrics can work really well.
Like most things with hair loss, a lot of it comes down to experimentation.
Smooth fabrics like silk and satin are incredibly popular for headscarves. But what works beautifully for people with hair doesn’t always work quite so well for the follicly challenged among us.
Both fabrics can look luxurious and feel lovely against your scalp. The problem is, if you don’t have much hair underneath, keeping them in place can become a full-time job.
That same smoothness that makes silk and satin look elegant also means they create very little friction. Without hair to grip onto, they can spend half the day slowly attempting a jailbreak.
Of the two, I generally find silk slightly easier to work with. Satin scarves often have a beautiful, shiny, patterned side and a much duller underside, which can make them less flexible once you start wrapping and twisting them into different styles. You can suddenly end up with your turban developing split personalities.
That said, there will always be something romantic about silk. It just feels fancy.
They make lovely gifts, and I do still wear silk scarves myself, just usually as occasional statement pieces rather than popping one on to drop the girls to school.
When it comes to getting a grip, alongside your therapist, cotton is your friend.
It’s far more secure than silk or satin; the importance of this really can’t be overstated on windy days or when you’re still new to wearing headscarves and convinced yours is about to abandon ship every five minutes.
Compared to bamboo, cotton is usually slightly thicker and less breathable, which can be a downside in tropical heat. But in cooler weather, or Ireland’s eleven-month-long winter, that extra warmth can actually feel lovely.
In terms of “head feel”, cotton is a little rougher than bamboo, but not necessarily in a bad way. It feels stable. If stable can be a feeling.
Where cotton really excels is in structure. It ties well, holds shape beautifully and gives you a bit more volume if that’s something you miss having without much hair underneath.
It’s also incredibly sturdy. Cotton scarves survive washing machine abuse remarkably well, which honestly can’t always be said for some of the cheaper pre-tied scarves and hats floating around online.
That might not matter much if your hair loss is temporary, but when scarves become part of your everyday life, it’s quite nice knowing a few washes aren’t going to destroy your new favourite one.
Bamboo might not quite have the glamour of silk, but when it comes to everyday life with hair loss, it’s very hard to beat.
It’s soft and smooth to the touch, but still has enough texture to sit far more consistently on your head. (That balance matters more than you might think once you stop having hair underneath to hold everything in place.)
It’s also incredibly lightweight and breathable, which is probably why I fell in love with it living in tropical Vietnamese heat.
Bamboo scarves dry quickly, rarely crease and don’t need much fussing over. I throw mine in the washing machine with my husband’s stanky running clothes and get on with my life.
A lot of bamboo fabrics are also hypoallergenic and antimicrobial, which makes them especially nice for sensitive scalps or treatment periods when your skin can feel more reactive than usual.
I’ve worn bamboo headscarves for almost ten years now, and they’ve become my everyday go-to. I don’t just own one or two, either. At this point, I probably have a different coloured bamboo scarf for every possible life scenario.
Your head is your head. Your style is your style. The “best” headscarf fabric for you is going to be controlled by all sorts of factors based on your fabulously individual life…oh, and the wonderful, unknowable opinions of your scalp.
Some ladies will only allow the finest silk to grace their crown, while others will happily rock a different $3 polyester headscarf every day of the week. You do you. Whatever gets you out the door with your head held high.
Personally, I want a comfy, breathable headscarf I can put on and not think about. Bamboo works for me.
It’s why, after years of experimenting, it became the first fabric I ended up making my own scarves from.
I just want to get on with my day and feel comfortable in my own skin, whether my hair grows back or not.
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