05-26-2014, 02:08 PM
I find the study you reference to be a bit odd. The theory is that the thickness of the scalp relates to the baldness of the person and they state that calipers measured scalp thicknesses of up to 24 mm. I am presuming this is a double layer of skin, as the measurement must be done by pinching the scalp. 4 mm thickness is the minimum and apparently correlates to naturally regrowing hair.
The thing is, I have virtually no body fat under the skin in my scalp and it is of more thickness where my hair is growing, than where it is not. This would seem to be the reverse of what they are suggesting the situation should be for my scalp.
Furthermore, my scalp is virtually the same thickness all around. I have a small amount of subcutaneous body fat in the back and sides, which is where my hair grows the best.
I also have a hard time believing that their proposed cause for the thickness is accurate, as they seem to be claiming that it is grease trapped in the scalp or hair follicles. Can you imagine how much grease that would have to be? Let's consider this. Let's say I have ((18+24)/2)mm as my measurement on the calipers, or 21 mm. If we must fold the skin to achieve this reading, then the scalp is actually half that thickness, or 10.5 mm thick.
If the minimum caliper reading is 4 to 6 mm, we can average this out to 5 mm and again divide by two to get 2.5 mm thick.
10.5 mm - 2.5 mm gives us a difference of 8 mm thickness. Now, if this difference is caused by grease trapped in the hair follicle, the person must have a huge infection going, because that would doubtless lead to pimples or at least oil deposits. 8 mm thick? I think this difference must be explained by subcutaneous fat, which would have nothing to do with the scalp unless it was releasing some sort of chemistry that affected the scalp. It is known that people who have a high degree of subcutaneous fat have higher levels of certain pheromones, such as alpha androstenol. But alpha androstenol is associated with youth, as this pheromone is most predominant in persons of average body fat while they are preteen and teenage.
It would seem, then, that body fat might have some possible pheromonal effect, but this does not mesh with the fact that I have a very low body fat level, and I know I am not the only man or woman with thinning hair who is slender in body type.
It seems that the theory put forth does not fit the observed facts.
The thing is, I have virtually no body fat under the skin in my scalp and it is of more thickness where my hair is growing, than where it is not. This would seem to be the reverse of what they are suggesting the situation should be for my scalp.
Furthermore, my scalp is virtually the same thickness all around. I have a small amount of subcutaneous body fat in the back and sides, which is where my hair grows the best.
I also have a hard time believing that their proposed cause for the thickness is accurate, as they seem to be claiming that it is grease trapped in the scalp or hair follicles. Can you imagine how much grease that would have to be? Let's consider this. Let's say I have ((18+24)/2)mm as my measurement on the calipers, or 21 mm. If we must fold the skin to achieve this reading, then the scalp is actually half that thickness, or 10.5 mm thick.
If the minimum caliper reading is 4 to 6 mm, we can average this out to 5 mm and again divide by two to get 2.5 mm thick.
10.5 mm - 2.5 mm gives us a difference of 8 mm thickness. Now, if this difference is caused by grease trapped in the hair follicle, the person must have a huge infection going, because that would doubtless lead to pimples or at least oil deposits. 8 mm thick? I think this difference must be explained by subcutaneous fat, which would have nothing to do with the scalp unless it was releasing some sort of chemistry that affected the scalp. It is known that people who have a high degree of subcutaneous fat have higher levels of certain pheromones, such as alpha androstenol. But alpha androstenol is associated with youth, as this pheromone is most predominant in persons of average body fat while they are preteen and teenage.
It would seem, then, that body fat might have some possible pheromonal effect, but this does not mesh with the fact that I have a very low body fat level, and I know I am not the only man or woman with thinning hair who is slender in body type.
It seems that the theory put forth does not fit the observed facts.
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The scientist has a question to find an answer for. The pseudo-scientist has an answer to find a question for. ~ "Failure is the path of least persistence." - Chinese Fortune Cookie ~ Logic left. Emotion right. But thinking, straight ahead. ~ Sperate supra omnia in valorem. (The value of trust is above all else.) ~ Meowsomeness!
The scientist has a question to find an answer for. The pseudo-scientist has an answer to find a question for. ~ "Failure is the path of least persistence." - Chinese Fortune Cookie ~ Logic left. Emotion right. But thinking, straight ahead. ~ Sperate supra omnia in valorem. (The value of trust is above all else.) ~ Meowsomeness!
