How to Get Rid of a Headphone Dent (And Prevent a Future One)

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Learn what causes headphone dents and if they're serious

Co-authored by Hunter Rising

Last Updated: September 11, 2024 Fact Checked

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What is a headphone dent?

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Does it go away?

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How to Fix a Headphone Dent

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Causes

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Preventing Headphone Dents

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Headphone Dents on Social Media

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Warnings

If you’ve ever worn headphones for a long day of gaming or listening to music, then you’ve probably noticed the small indent they leave behind on your head. While seeing a headphone dent (gamer dent) can be a little alarming at first, they’re completely normal and nothing to worry about. Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through what causes a headphone dent, how to get rid of them, and what you can do to prevent them!

Headphone Dents Explained

A headphone dent is caused by the weight of your headphones pressing into your hair and scalp. If you have one, take off your headphones, massage your scalp, and try wetting your hair to get rid of the dent. Otherwise, the dent is harmless and will go away on its own in a few minutes or hours.

Section 1 of 6:

What is a headphone dent?

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If you wear headphones for too long or if they fit incorrectly, the piece that goes around your head can press down and leave a small depression in your scalp. The headphones may also flatten your hair and make the dent more noticeable.
While some people claim that wearing headphones permanent changes the shape of your skull, this is just a myth! According to studies, it takes about 300 lb (140 kg) of force to change the shape or even fracture your skull, so your headphones are safe to wear.^{[1]
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Section 2 of 6:

Do headphone dents go away?

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Yes, headphone dents only last a few minutes to a few hours. Luckily, headphone dents aren’t permanent. Once you take off your headphones, your scalp will start to go back to its normal shape. It just may take longer if you wore your headphones for a long time.^{[2]
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- Headphones won’t leave any indents on your skull. Any creases you see after wearing them are only in your hair and skin.

Section 3 of 6:

How to Fix a Headphone Dent

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As soon as you notice a headphone dent, take your headphones off for a little while so the dent starts filling back in. If you’re able to, switch to external speakers in the meantime. Otherwise, get up, stretch, and take a quick break before putting your headphones back on.
Gently rub where the headphones rested on your head using your fingers. Just a few minutes of massage can help improve the blood flow to your scalp and help the dent fill in faster.^{[3]
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Trustworthy Source

PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

Go to source}
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Wet and restyle your hair. If the headphones only left a dent in your hair, then wet your fingers and run them through your hair. Keep wetting your hair and redoing it until you can’t see the dent anymore.
- If you still notice the dent and have some time, hop in the shower and wash your hair.

Section 4 of 6:

What causes headphone dents?

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The headphone band presses down and applies pressure on your scalp when you wear them. After using them for a while, the skin on your scalp indents slightly from the weight and pressure.
When headphones are too loose, the band supports all their weight and presses down into your scalp more. If they’re too tight, then the added pressure could make the dent more noticeable.^{[4]
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Section 5 of 6:

How to Prevent Headphone Dent

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Place the headphones over each of your ears first. Then, position the band further back so it wraps around behind your head and applies less pressure.^{[5]
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Use extra padding between the headphones and your head. For an easy way to add cushion to your headphones, put on a hat or hood before wearing your headphones. Alternatively, get reusable headphone padding that wraps around the band.
- Padding makes headphones more comfortable so they’re less likely to leave a dent.
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Take your headphones off when you aren’t using them. If you’re taking a break from music or stepping away from your computer, set your headphones down instead of wearing them around. Giving your head a break makes it less likely a dent will form.
- Try to take a break from your headphones every hour or so. Your ears will appreciate a break from any loud music or audio you were listening to.
Switch to earbuds instead of headphones. Since earbuds don’t have a band that goes over your head, there’s no risk of them leaving a dent. Many earbuds now have the same audio quality as over-ear headphones, so they’ll sound just as great.

Section 6 of 6:

How did headphone dent misinformation spread?

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Headphone dents became more notable from Twitch streamers and TikTok. Some live streamers, like Tyler1 and Curtoss, noticed indents on their heads when they took their headphones off after hours of streaming. After that, some people claimed on social media that they noticed dents that wouldn't go away and falsely claimed that headphones were reshaping their skulls or were warning others about the "dangers" of headphones.
- Always double-check claims you find on the internet and try to find reliable sources that back up the information.

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Warnings

If you notice a newly-formed dent after a head injury or one that does not go away after a few days, then contact a doctor.

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