Curly Hair Follicle Is Sculpted by a Contracted Arrector Pili Muscle: A Hypothesis with Treatment Implications

September 2024

Nahdema Abed Abass Jasim

Arrector Pili muscle hair follicle outer root sheath selective smooth muscle relaxants

TLDR Curly hair may be caused by a muscle contraction, and muscle relaxants might help treat it.

The hypothesis presented by Al Jasim suggests that the curling of hair is due to the mechanical force generated by a hypersensitive contracted Arrector Pili Muscle (APM) in the hair follicle. This contraction pulls the attachment spot of the APM upward and obliquely, causing the outer root sheath to curl and produce a curved follicle. This process occurs during the formation of the young hair root and the orientation of keratin microfibrils. The study proposes that oral administration of selective smooth muscle relaxants could modulate APM contraction and potentially treat curly hair. Further research, including AI studies, is needed to confirm the role of APM in shaping curly hair follicles.

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