For me, it was something I never thought about until recently.
Today I overheard a conversation from someone next to me who was talking with a friend of hers. She said that whenever her hair was down, her nack got itchy and lots of lumps like bites appeared.
They both found it weird but thought that she was maybe allergic to her own hair. Now, if you’re a regular reader of this blog you know that my mind starts racing when it comes to this stuff. I thought about it back to my home and that that maybe she wasn’t allergic to her hair but that she may be was allergic to certain products she used.
But that sparked the question “can you be allergic to your own hair” in me. So I decided to do a little research and here’s what I found out.
So, can you be allergic to your own hair?
Anything is possible but I have to say that this is very unlikely. All human hair has the same basic chemical structure. Your hair is almost entirely made of the protein keratin. Our immune systems are exposed to this protein from a young age and throughout our life. We never develop an allergic response to this.
Now I began with: “anything is possible” because you never know. I once saw a documentary of someone that is allergic to water, so maybe there’s a chance of someone being allergic to their own hair.
But with 99% certainty, I have to say that it isn’t likely that you are allergic to your own hair
But then what can be the case? Although you most likely aren’t allergic to your own hair, it can be that you’re allergic to some products that you are using.
How do you know if you’re allergic to certain hair products?
As you might know, the allergies that you have are caused by your body’s immune system. Your immune system reacts inappropriately to a molecule that is foreign to the body. That’s why often people get allergies from things like pollen, drugs, or plants. Their immune system reacts inappropriately to the new stimulus that these things bring with them.
Now that you know that, you see why it is highly unlikely to be allergic to your own hair. You can, however, be allergic to whatever product you use.
So how do you know?
Keep an eye out for what you’ve changed in your hair care routine. Have you recently changed shampoos, conditioners, soap, or anything like that and your skin is getting irritated? Then that is a possible cause for your allergies.
What should you do?
When you find out that you have an allergic reaction, it is a good idea to keep yourself in check. Have you switched hair care products lately? Try to switch back and see if the allergic reaction goes away.
If you don’t know or if you have not changed anything, it is a good idea to go see a doctor. A doctor can maybe give you some tips on which hair care products to use so that your allergic reaction goes away, or give a cream for example to treat the irritated skin.
If that doesn’t help, a doctor can also refer you to a dermatologist. Any condition that involves the skin, should be evaluated by a good dermatologist. Your irritated skin can have multiple causes so it’s a good idea to let someone who specializes in this kind of thing look at your allergic reaction.
Final Thoughts
So, if anyone asks you: “can you be allergic to your own hair?” You know the answer! No, you normally can’t be allergic to your own hair. It is way more likely that you are allergic to something in your shampoo, conditioner, or other hair care product.
If you start getting an allergic reaction, it is good to check if you’ve changed products a couple of days or weeks ago. If that’s the case then please change back and see if the reaction disappears.
If that is not the case, see a doctor and when necessary, see a dermatologist. They can help you find out what you’re allergic so that you know which products to avoid in the future.
Be safe!
