Cultural Evolution as a Possible Triggering or Causative Factor of Common Baldness

In the 2004 paper by Armando José Yáñez Soler, it was hypothesized that cultural practices such as excessive hair cutting and certain hairstyles might trigger or cause common baldness by blocking sebum flow and interfering with stem cell delivery to the hair follicle. This could lead to hair miniaturization and a degenerative process that becomes less reversible over time. The paper suggested that individuals with short, thin, or straight hair are more susceptible to baldness, while those with long, thick, or curly hair, and certain ethnicities with long hair traditions, are less affected. The hypothesis was supported by observations like the efficacy of tonsure in producing localized baldness and the inability to induce baldness where sebum flow is unobstructed. The author proposed that maintaining longer hair could prevent baldness by allowing outward sebum flow, but once baldness has occurred, it is difficult to reverse. The paper called for further research into the relationship between sebum flow, hair follicle health, and stem cell transport, emphasizing prevention over treatment and suggesting that cultural practices could be modified to prevent common baldness.