Updated May 22, 2015.
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Many people who suffer from migraines are highly aware of their personal triggers – many of which are commonly shared among other migraineurs, like certain foods, sunlight, alcohol and lack of sleep. But for some migraine sufferers, they report rather unusual triggers – some of which may be unique to their geographical home. For instance, in India, hair washing or head bath has been reported as a migraine trigger.
Let's take a closer look at what this headache is and how it can be prevented.
What is a Hair Wash Headache?
A hair wash headache meets the criteria of a migraine according to the International Headache Society. It likely occurs 15-60 min after an individual's washes their hair – without drying it.
Hair Washing Headache Study Design
In a study in Cephalalgia, 94 of 1500 individuals from a headache clinic in India with either migraine without aura (96%) or migraine with aura(4%) reported hair wash as a migraine trigger (Ravishankar, 2006). The majority of these individuals were women with an average age of 40. As part of the study, they filled out a survey and based on the results were divided into three groups:
- Group I: Hair wash was the only trigger for their migraines – 11 individuals
- Group II: Hair wash was a trigger for some migraines but not all – 45 individuals
- Group III: Hair wash was a migraine trigger but only in combination with other triggers like going out in the sunlight or sitting in front of an air conditioner – 38 individuals
The study participants were also given medication to prevent their migraine attacks. Participants who had fewer than 5 migraines per month due to hair wash were instructed to take naproxen sodium (Aleve) or ergotamine one hour prior to their hair wash.
Those who had more than 5 migraine attacks per month and those in Group 3 were given one of a variety of migraine preventive medications: propranolol (Inderal), divalproex (Depakote), topiramate (Topamax), or flunarizine – a blood pressure medication not available in the U.S.
Hair Washing Headache Study Results
In Group I, the participants took a preventive medication prior to washing their hair. Nine of the eleven participants reported a positive response with no hair wash headache.
In Group II, 18 of the 45 participants were given a preventive medication prior to washing their hair. 15 of the 18 reported improvement. 27 of the 45 participants were on daily migraine preventive medication and 18 of those 27 improved.
In Group III, 12 of the 38 participants were given a preventive medication prior to washing their hair. 10 of the 12 reported improvement. 26 of the 38 participants were on daily migraine preventive medication and 18 of those 26 improved.
What Do These Results Mean?
Hair wash is a unique migraine trigger and may be improved by taking standard migraine preventive therapies.
Why Does This Headache Occur?
The why behind this migraine trigger is a mystery. Is this phenomenon limited to women in India? Another study in Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology found that 21 out of 144 Indian medical students with migraine (14.5%) also reported hair washing as a migraine trigger. So, is there a genetic linkage? Or is there a more scientific reason – the wet hair stimulates temperature-sensitive receptors?
To rule out other factors, this study looked at potential other triggers of the migraines, like the smell of the soap or shampoo or the temperature of the water to determine whether these were the actual migraine triggers. However, this did not appear to be the case. Rather, the actual trigger was having wet hair.
Take Home Message
Hair wash is a migraine trigger – that may or may not be limited to people of Indian ethnicity. Regardless, if you do notice that hair washing causes your migraines, please speak with your doctor. A migraine preventive medication may be useful, according to the above study results. Remember to not take any medication without the advice of your physician first.
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Sources
Menon B, & Kinnera N. Prevalence and characteristics of migraine in medical students and its impact on their daily activities. Ann Indian Acad Neurol. 2013 Apr-Jun; 16(2): 221–225.
Ravishankar K. Hair wash' or 'head bath' triggering migraine - observations in 94 Indian patients. Cephalalgia. 2006 Nov;26(11):1330-4.
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DISCLAIMER: The information in this site is for educational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for personal care by a licensed physician. Please see your doctor for diagnosis and treatment of any concerning symptoms or medical condition.
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