Bald Fact

Gravity plays a key role in male pattern baldness

Why do men lose hair at a faster rate than women? Why does male balding often lead to what is termed the ‘Hippocratic wreath’, where one begins to lose hair on the temples and vertex while retaining a rim of hair at the sides and rear end of the head? Over the years, various theories have been suggested to explain male pattern baldness. These range from genetic make-up to the environment and diet of the person.

A new study, published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, however, suggests that male pattern baldness could be caused by gravity. According to the paper’s author Dr Emin Tuncay Ustuner from Ankara in Turkey, the “force of downward pull caused by gravity on the scalp skin” is a key contributor to progressive hair loss in men.

While studying bald spots of the scalp in male subjects, Dr Ustuner found high levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a form of testosterone. He found that DHT appeared to have different effects on hair follicles for different parts of the body. While it caused hair follicles in the scalp to become thinner, in other parts, such as the genitals and underarms, the hormone promoted a thickening of hair follicles.

According to Dr Ustuner’s explanation, when men are younger, their scalp has sufficient fat tissue under the skin and is thus ‘capable of keeping itself well-hydrated,’ taking the pressure off hair follicles. But as they age, the skin and underlying fat become thinner, and the pressure on hair follicles increases. Testosterone contributes to the thinning of subcutaneous fat. In women, oestrogen prevents the thinning of these cushioning tissues. As the amount of cushioning fat decreases, the hair follicle works harder and requires more hormones for normal growth, resulting in a build-up of DHT in the scalp but not in the bloodstream. This causes further erosion of fat tissue in the scalp. The hair growth cycle accelerates in response to DHT, but it’s often not enough to overcome the pressure of gravity. Over time, the hair follicle becomes progressively smaller, resulting in increasing hair loss.

According to Dr Ustuner, the force of gravity on the scalp thereby leads to male pattern baldness. The ears, however, help resist the effects of gravity, thereby limiting the hair loss on the sides of the head.

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