New research might have found an explanation for why outdoor
air pollution is likely to cause hair loss.
Hair
loss affects around two-thirds of men
under the age of 35 in the United States, according to the American Hair Loss
Association.
Also, almost 85% of men lose a significant amount of hair
after the age of 50.
Women also experience hair loss. In fact, a condition called
androgenetic alopecia affects around 30 million women in
the U.S., as well as 50 million men.
The causes of hair loss are unclear. Although researchers
think that genes play a key role, there remain a significant number of unknown
environmental factors that may also affect hair loss risk.
New research has looked into pollution as a potential
trigger for hair loss. Importantly, it sheds light on a potential mechanism
that may explain how air pollution causes hair loss.
Hyuk Chul Kwon — from the Future Science Research Centre in
the Republic of Korea — is the lead author of the study, which the team
presented at the 28th European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV)
Congress.
This year, the congress takes place between October 9 and 13
in Madrid, Spain.
It is worth noting that the Future Science Research Centre
is part of a cosmetics company based in Korea called Coreana Cosmetics.
However, the EADV is a nonprofit organization.
Pollution reduces hair growing
protein
The new paper, entitled "Effects of particulate matter
on human dermal papilla," looked at the effect of so-called particulate
matter on the cells at the base of hair follicles. These cells are called human
follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPCs).
"Particulate matter," or "particle
pollution," is a term that describes a mix of solid particles and small
liquid droplets, made of various different chemicals, that people can inhale.
Some of these particles pose a serious risk to health.
In the new research, Kwon and colleagues exposed HFDPCs to
PM10-like particles of dust and diesel. According to the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), PM10 particles are
"inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 10 micrometers and
smaller."
After 24 hours, the team used Western blotting analysis to
examine the levels of several proteins after exposure to particulate matter.
The analysis revealed that exposure to PM10 and diesel
particulate matter lowered levels of a protein key for hair growth. The protein
is called beta-catenin.
Additionally, PM10-like dust and diesel particulates lowered
levels of other proteins that determine hair growth and hair retention. These
proteins were cyclin D1, cyclin E, and CDK2, and the more pollution the
researchers exposed them to, the more these proteins decreased.
Kwon comments on the findings, saying, "While the link
between air pollution and serious diseases such as cancer, [chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease], and [cardiovascular disease] are well
established, there is little to no research on the effect of particulate matter
exposure on the human skin and hair in particular."
"Our research explains the mode
of action of air pollutants on [HFDPCs], showing how the most common air
pollutants lead to hair loss."
Hyuk Chul Kwon
Around the world, approximately 4.2 millionTrusted Source people die each
year as a result of outdoor air pollution, according to the World Health
Organization (WHO). The WHO also estimate that over 90% of the world's
population lives in overly polluted areas.
Heart
attacks, aggravated asthma, irregular heartbeat, and poorer lung
function are only some of the conditions associated
with excess exposure to pollution.
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