Cultural evolution as a possible triggering or causative factor of common baldness.

摘要

Common baldness (alopecia) increasingly affects a higher number of individuals at earlier ages, independently of gender. One of the reasons could be lack of knowledge concerning its etiology. The human being has evolved to become a naked monkey, although there is no apparent reason to continue the evolutionary process up to becoming a bald monkey. According to this theory, common baldness is a degenerative process derived from certain inadequate cultural practices, such as excessive hair cutting or certain types of haircuts that prevent contact among hairs themselves and limit outside contact in ways that would alleviate balding. Blocking the flow of sebum towards the base of the hair follicle - and so interfering with the arrival of the stem cells to the dermal papilla with consequent hair miniaturization - ends up being the first negative physiological effect derived from certain cultural habits. As time goes by, other mechanisms become altered, which leads to a less and less reversibility of the process.