Does styling gel cause hair loss?

Don't worry too much. Styling gel itself doesn't cause baldness unless you are applying it directly to the scalp or pulling your hair too tight while styling. Just wash it out regularly and use alcohol-free gels to keep your hair healthy.

Using too much styling gel can cause product buildup, which suffocates the hair follicles and leads to thinning. If your scalp health is fine, focus on keeping it clean and try adding some daily jogging or brisk walking to improve scalp blood circulation.

I just started using styling gel for college and my hair feels a bit stiff. Does it cause permanent hair loss, or will it stop if I wash it off thoroughly every single evening before sleeping?

I used enough styling gel in my 20s to freeze a waterfall, and now my forehead goes all the way to my crown. Gels don't directly make hair fall from the roots unless you rub them into your scalp, but they definitely make hair brittle and dry.

I was researching this because my hair fall increased recently. It seems the alcohol in many gels dries out the hair, making it break easily from the middle, rather than falling from the root. It's probably best to switch to water-based products.

Chemical gels coat the hair shafts and prevent them from breathing, which weakens the roots. I suggest avoiding harsh chemicals altogether and doing daily headstands or Shirshasana to naturally improve blood flow to the hair follicles.