A groundbreaking study from Penn State, the University of California, Irvine, and National Taiwan University proposes that hair loss could be treated by activating a molecular “switch” to trigger the growth of long scalp hair. Researchers have discovered that the ability to grow long hair may be rooted in a molecular program that evolved in early humans.
The study, published in the British Journal of Dermatology, explores the biological and social evolution of human scalp hair. It suggests that early human ancestors may have possessed the genetic potential to grow long hair, but this trait remained dormant until environmental and biological changes, such as walking upright, activated it.
Nina Jablonski, co-author of the study and Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at Penn State, explains that long scalp hair plays a crucial role in human social communication, signaling attributes such as age, health, and social status. Despite its significance, the mechanisms behind long hair growth have remained largely unknown.
The researchers built on earlier work, which demonstrated that tightly curled hair helped ancestors survive in equatorial Africa by providing protection against intense heat and solar radiation, while also reducing the need for excessive sweating. Long hair may have first evolved as a survival mechanism in hot climates before acquiring cultural and social meanings.
While long hair is rare in mammals, certain animals, including male lions and orangutans, also grow long hair, although for different reasons. The study suggests that the genetic ability for long hair has always existed, albeit in a “silenced” state. Human ancestors may have simply reactivated this dormant program through minor genetic changes, rather than evolving an entirely new molecular mechanism.
These findings could have significant implications for hair loss treatments. By understanding the molecular mechanisms behind long hair growth, researchers aim to develop novel therapies to restore hair growth and improve the emotional well-being of individuals affected by hair loss.
Related topics:
- India Turns to Exosome Therapy for Advanced Hair Growth Solutions
- Tips for Achieving Natural Shine Like Claudia Winkleman’s Hair
- Chrishell Stause’s Secret to Voluminous Hair: The Voloom 2.0 Iron
