Could Air Pollution Be What’s Making You Bald?

We often blame genetics, stress, or even wearing a hat for losing our hair. However, according to a new study from the Future Science Research Centre in the Republic of Korea, your balding could actually be tied to the pollution in the air. The research was presented at the 28th European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Congress in Spain.

[wibbitz clip-id="ba2877c1378954965be5616899538f90d"]

In their experiments, scientists took cells from the base of hair follicles and human scalps which were then exposed to both particulate matter (PM) and diesel particulate. PM is a result of fossil fuel, oil, and coal-burning. It also gets released in the atmosphere from mining and manufacturing.

After 24 hours, the amount of protein in the cell that is responsible for hair growth decreased. While much is known about the link between disease and air pollution, not much is known about its effects on human skin.

"Our research explains the mode of action of air pollutants on human follicle dermal papilla cells, showing how the most common air pollutants lead to hair loss," said Hyuk Chul Kwon, lead study researcher.

This just seems like another great reason to reduce climate change to us!