Did you know that washing your hair increases air pollution?

At least that might be true according to a new study in New Scientist.com that shows greasy hair can absorb ozone from the air, thus reducing the amount of ozone pollution.

The researchers, Lakshmi Pandrangi and Glenn Morrison from the University of Missouri in Rolla, found that dirty hair absorbs about seven times as much ozone as freshly washed hair. According to Morrison this is enough of a difference to significantly lower the ozone concentration around your head.

The hair solution to air pollution

Hmmm, does this mean we can save the planet by slathering on some hair oil like the Body Shop’s Monoi Miracle Oil, Philosophy’s Hair Marinating Oil, or Carol’s Daughter Tui Hair Oil?

Nope, because leaving hair permanently dirty has issues too. The ozone reacts with all those hair oils to produce other chemicals, like 4-oxopentanal, that can be irritating to your lungs. So if we really want to be safe it looks like we’ll all have to shave our heads!

–Mid Brain