Helmet head...
 

no not Helmet hair. this is Helmet HEAD.

Commuting everyday I have been wearing a L. Garneau Robota helmet for over a year. I have noticed the last month or two that the helmet leaves an imprint on my forehead of the inside bumpers. I had thought these were going away with a few minutes not wearing the helmet but much to my surprise the imprint is now staying there even after a long weekend of not riding. The redness fades after a few minutes out of the helmet but the lump between the bumpers remains. It is rather pronounced and my hair line does not hide it very well.

I am beginning to look like a Klingon with ridges. :twitchy:

Anyone have a better helmet bumper pattern inside the helmet that will avoid this? Maybe a helmet with a band around inside?

What model/brands are you using?

That is seriously not what you want to have going on! :( Can't you just take out the two pieces of padding and replace them with a single, longer piece of padding that will go across the width of your forehead. It you go to your LBS they might have some spare padding maybe.:thumb: Just an idea.:innocent:

I wear a Bell Metro, No problems.

Is your helmet too tight?

Yeah, how tight is it? Bell metro from me, and I wear it pretty tight yet I haven't noticed any imprints. Perhaps the padding is becoming worn thin?

I get the same thing from my Giro helmets. The Atmos leaves a very persistant mark that lasts for hours, the Eclipse leaves a mark that fades after about 30 minutes. I've tried all manner of adjustment, no difference. Both helmets are very comfortable to wear, you would never know they were leaving such an impression on the head until you remove them.

This might be an "apples and oranges" comparison, but I've noticed that if I wear my contact lenses regularly, the indentations on the bridge of my nose take about a week to go away... I'm sure the elasticity of my skin changes over time also...

What about wearing a bandanna on your head? That would make me pretty hot, and leave a pretty sweaty situation, not to mention how it would affect your coiffure.

If the pads are old and compressed, the velcro that holds them into your helmet can push into your skin leaving long lasting marks. Replacing the pads might solve your problem.

I rarely ride without a band under my helmet. A sweat band during spring, summer, and fall to keep sweat from dripping in my eyes, and an ear warmer in the winter. They both help keep the helmet pads from making any marks my forehead at all.

If you can't find a solution, might I recommend:
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/x0/x2400.jpg

how about buying some wrinkle cream......the elastisity of you sking and how well your blood flows may do the trick for erasing this mark...

change the pad or helmet too

love it.

however the suggestion to change the pads might be the answer. will investigate that one.

Loosen that helmet up a bit.
+1 on a headband or bandana.

Either loosen up the helmet a bit or time to switch out the inside padding for new ones.

Not to be gross...but when was the last time they were washed? Perhaps your skin is having a "reaction"?

+1 on washing the pads
Mine come out easily, so I gave mine a good rinsing the other day, worked great.
Here is to no more forehead dents!

This is hilarious... I want to see a pic!

+1

Bell Triton here for my big melon.

OP: Wash the pads, loosen it up a bit. Otherwise, I'd start thinking about another helmet...

If none of the above work you can take a spoon and press in on the foam that corresponds to where the marks are to make things a little bigger. That works on motorcycle helmets.

Followup: I switched pads. Different pattern inside the helmet and this seems to have alleviated the pressure points. Sorry no pix. the indentations are subtle and I don't think so visible. I definitely could feel the indentations. There was no rash or other skin irritation from the pad so it was not an inflammation issue just the indentations persisted. Now that I have changed the pattern I'll see if I get different indentations. Soon I'll have a checkerboard pattern on my forehead? hah! Anyway seems to be receding now that I've made the change. The old pads were definitely 'flat' from use. Will change them more frequently. Oh and the helmet is only a year old. Though I do commute everyday to work in all weather. That may have contributed to over use?