Scalp Tension Theory of Hair Loss- Pseudoscience or credible?

[Ralph kaka]

Hi all, just wanted to start a general discussion as I stumbled upon this today: The Scalp Tension Theory Of Hair Loss: A Scientific Breakdown (perfecthairhealth.com)

What are people's general thoughts-does scalp tension pay a significant role in hair loss? And does it impact hair transplants? It was an interesting article imo, lots of research referenced but curious what others think-it doesn't have any definitive conclusions.

[Melvin- Admin]

Its nonsense. It’s a ridiculous theory. While, we know DHT isn’t everything. It does cause at least 75% of hair loss. Scalp inflammation plays a role. Scalp tension, um, no. 

[Hazy]

If you consider Minoxidil's mechanism of action as an angiodilator to improve blood flow to the follicle, then potentially a high-tension scalp would have chronically decreased blood flow. It's possible that it contributes and maybe that's why scalp massage or carboxytherapy have possible benefits. It's not likely a MAJOR contributor, but if you'd like to do 15 minute scalp massages daily for the rest of your life then that's one option, otherwise it's going to be a hard time improving your scalp tension.

[Gatsby]

If scalp tension caused MPB then FUT would cause greater hair loss not greater hair restoration.

[Amiele]

50 minutes ago, Gatsby said:

If scalp tension caused MPB then FUT would cause greater hair loss not greater hair restoration.

Well said. I didn’t read the information in the OP’s link, but I recall reading somewhere that Botox - Clostridium botulinum toxin which causes flaccid paralysis of muscles - can be used to treat male pattern baldness. Lo and behold a quick google search unearthed this: https://www.jwatch.org/jd201111100000001/2011/11/10/growing-hair-with-botox 

[mr_peanutbutter]

women develop hairloss in the male baldness pattern (within a few weeks) if they take aromatase inhibitors to treat breast cancer 

hairs that get transplanted from balding areas to lets say an arm or an leg will still miniature and fall out eventually

 

how could scalp tension theory could possible explain this

 

[100Rings]

On 5/17/2023 at 1:08 AM, mr_peanutbutter said:

women develop hairloss in the male baldness pattern (within a few weeks) if they take aromatase inhibitors to treat breast cancer 

hairs that get transplanted from balding areas to lets say an arm or an leg will still miniature and fall out eventually

 

how could scalp tension theory could possible explain this

 

Citation for your first and second point?

And your second point can be easily explained by the fact that the follicular bulb has been destroyed by DHT and simply taking that same bulb and inserting it somewhere else isn't going to magically heal it instantly. Of course the hair will still fall out. That's called shed. The same thing happens when taking finasteride. You shed the miniaturized hair and grow a new strand as the follicular bulb repairs. This is Hairloss101. Unless a study has been done and it showed that the transplanted hair did not repair or heal after shed, then the point stands.

[mr_peanutbutter]

2 hours ago, 100Rings said:

Citation for your first and second point?

And your second point can be easily explained by the fact that the follicular bulb has been destroyed by DHT and simply taking that same bulb and inserting it somewhere else isn't going to magically heal it instantly. Of course the hair will still fall out. That's called shed. The same thing happens when taking finasteride. You shed the miniaturized hair and grow a new strand as the follicular bulb repairs. This is Hairloss101. Unless a study has been done and it showed that the transplanted hair did not repair or heal after shed, then the point stands.

https://www.annalsofoncology.org/article/S0923-7534(19)37327-2/pdf

 

women who get treated with ai for breastcancer develop hairloss in the male pattern baldness way (and not in the diffuse ludwig scale anymore which is normally common for women who have hairloss)

 

“Figure 1. (a and b) Recession of the frontal and parietal hairlines and bitemporal gulfs recession observed by Global photo; (c)miniaturization of follicles in the fronto-temporal area, observed by videodermatoscopic examination,which is not present in FAGA; (d) behind the frontal region, normal hair density and normal diameter of hair, evidenced by videodermatoscopic examination.“

 

how does scalp tension theory explains that?

[Gatsby]

I'll stick with Rosemary oil and garlic. Because if that doesn't work it can still go well on a roast!

[Turkhair]

On 5/17/2023 at 7:00 AM, Amiele said:

Well said. I didn’t read the information in the OP’s link, but I recall reading somewhere that Botox - Clostridium botulinum toxin which causes flaccid paralysis of muscles - can be used to treat male pattern baldness. Lo and behold a quick google search unearthed this: https://www.jwatch.org/jd201111100000001/2011/11/10/growing-hair-with-botox 

https://www.jaad.org/article/s0190-9622(20)30698-8/fulltext
 

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) induces transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) in dermal papilla cells (DPCs) to suppress follicular epithelial cell growth. Thus, TGF-β1 is one of the key players in androgenetic alopecia (AGA), and its antagonist may prevent AGA.

¹

 Botulinum toxin type A (BTX) may inhibit TGF-β1 secretion from DPCs as it does with scar tissue fibroblasts,

²

 which share the mesenchymal origin. Recently, BTX has been effective for the treatment of AGA.

DHT upregulated the TGF-β1 expression of DPCs in 96 hours, whereas BTX downregulated the TGF-β1 expression in 96 hours

BTX successfully abrogated DHT-induced secretion of TGF-β1 from DPC.
 

If muscle relaxation causes hair growth, you could do benzo drugs, chillax and become NW0. Why do Botox injections? Only if we could be so lucky 😂

[100Rings]

7 hours ago, mr_peanutbutter said:

https://www.annalsofoncology.org/article/S0923-7534(19)37327-2/pdf

 

women who get treated with ai for breastcancer develop hairloss in the male pattern baldness way (and not in the diffuse ludwig scale anymore which is normally common for women who have hairloss)

 

“Figure 1. (a and b) Recession of the frontal and parietal hairlines and bitemporal gulfs recession observed by Global photo; (c)miniaturization of follicles in the fronto-temporal area, observed by videodermatoscopic examination,which is not present in FAGA; (d) behind the frontal region, normal hair density and normal diameter of hair, evidenced by videodermatoscopic examination.“

 

how does scalp tension theory explains that?

You don't seem to understand what the scalp tension theory actually posits.

It is part of a complex process involving many moving parts, first being tension and its downstream effects; one such effect being the cutting of blood flow which causes inflamation and the upregulation of DHT in response to decrease said inflammation. It could be that this drug induces a similar effects in scalp to mimmick tension while in reality it is the drug causing the inflamation similar to that of muscle tension. Your source does not state nearly enough to completely disprove the muscle tension theory though I will admit it does make the discussion more interesting.

Edited September 3, 2023 by 100Rings

[Turkhair]

1 hour ago, 100Rings said:

You don't seem to understand what the scalp tension theory actually posits.

It is part of a complex process involving many moving parts, first being tension and its downstream effects; one such effect being the cutting of blood flow which causes inflamation and the upregulation of DHT in response to decrease said inflammation. It could be that this drug induces a similar effects in scalp to mimmick tension while in reality it is the drug causing the inflamation similar to that of muscle tension. Your source does not state nearly enough to completely disprove the muscle tension theory though I will admit it does make the discussion more interesting.

It doesn’t explain why hairs taken from safe zone survive till death when transplanted to supposedly “tense muscular areas” like the temples. 

[100Rings]

1 hour ago, Turkhair said:

It doesn’t explain why hairs taken from safe zone survive till death when transplanted to supposedly “tense muscular areas” like the temples. 

They absolutely don't and I'm shocked that this blatant misinformation is still passed off as common fact. Hairs transplanted to the balding areas minaturize just as any other hair will. The process may take a lifetime or it may take several years. The amount if time it takes varries from man to man but there is no such thing as DHT "immune" hair follicles. That literally does not exist whatsoever.

Edited September 3, 2023 by 100Rings

[Turkhair]

3 hours ago, 100Rings said:

They absolutely don't and I'm shocked that this blatant misinformation is still passed off as common fact. Hairs transplanted to the balding areas minaturize just as any other hair will. The process may take a lifetime or it may take several years. The amount if time it takes varries from man to man but there is no such thing as DHT "immune" hair follicles. That literally does not exist whatsoever.

How do you explain beard/body hairs transplanted to extremely “tense muscular areas” such as front/temples thrive and live happily ever after? 

 

[100Rings]

2 hours ago, Turkhair said:

How do you explain beard/body hairs transplanted to extremely “tense muscular areas” such as front/temples thrive and live happily ever after? 

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8061642

How in the world on a hair loss forum are people still saying transplanted hair doesn't miniaturize is absolutely beyond me 💀💀💀 you are just straight up wrong my boy. Transplanted hairs are susceptible to DHT and to insit otherwise is to remain delusional. Do you even know the science behind MPB to begin with?

Edited September 3, 2023 by 100Rings

[Turkhair]

3 hours ago, 100Rings said:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8061642

How in the world on a hair loss forum are people still saying transplanted hair doesn't miniaturize is absolutely beyond me 💀💀💀 you are just straight up wrong my boy. Transplanted hairs are susceptible to DHT and to insit otherwise is to remain delusional. Do you even know the science behind MPB to begin with?

I think the article you quoted actually shows what happens when you go to a terrible clinic and why researching and going to a good clinic is so necessary. 

 

Look here for example the result of a good clinic almost a decade later! 

 

[GoliGoliGoli]

On 9/3/2023 at 11:16 AM, Turkhair said:

It doesn’t explain why hairs taken from safe zone survive till death when transplanted to supposedly “tense muscular areas” like the temples. 

If you think hairs taken from the safe zone always survive till death... You've got some research to do. 

 

Edit: Ok @100Rings beat me to making the same point. 

Edited September 4, 2023 by GoliGoliGoli

[Turkhair]

3 hours ago, GoliGoliGoli said:

If you think hairs taken from the safe zone always survive till death... You've got some research to do. 

 

Edit: Ok @100Rings beat me to making the same point.

So my hair transplant will fail and I will be bald again? 

Sorry I believe my surgeon over some random on the internet who I don’t know is even educated. He assured me the hair grafts he took were strong and healthy and permanent. 

Edited September 4, 2023 by Turkhair

[100Rings]

4 hours ago, Turkhair said:

So my hair transplant will fail and I will be bald again? 

Sorry I believe my surgeon over some random on the internet who I don’t know is even educated. He assured me the hair grafts he took were strong and healthy and permanent. 

It's your head bro. Do you. But don't be surprised if things go south in some years.

Edited September 4, 2023 by 100Rings

[general-etwan]

But the real question is how did it come to be that MPB occurs in the pattern it does. Why are the hairs on the sides and back of the scalp not affected by DHT nearly to the degree as those on top in that ring pattern.

[100Rings]

24 minutes ago, general-etwan said:

But the real question is how did it come to be that MPB occurs in the pattern it does. Why are the hairs on the sides and back of the scalp not affected by DHT nearly to the degree as those on top in that ring pattern.

Especially when all follicles on the head are genetically identical. It is ASSUMED that "safe zone" follicales are DHT "immune" simply because they don't miniaturize. There is no hard evidence proving dht immunity theory true. In fact, it is quite the opposite actually.. mechanical stress of the scalp and skull expansion theory are by far the most logical answer given the evidence.

Edited September 4, 2023 by 100Rings

[GoliGoliGoli]

2 hours ago, 100Rings said:

Especially when all follicles on the head are genetically identical. It is ASSUMED that "safe zone" follicales are DHT "immune" simply because they don't miniaturize. There is no hard evidence proving dht immunity theory true. In fact, it is quite the opposite actually.. mechanical stress of the scalp and skull expansion theory are by far the most logical answer given the evidence.

What exactly do you mean by all follicles of the head are genetically identical? That doesn't ring true. Are you just saying no gene or cluster of genes has been found that would make the safe zone hairs different? If so I'd say absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. 

If you don't mind please elaborate on your mechanical stress/skull expansion thoughts. 

[100Rings]

On 9/4/2023 at 10:20 PM, GoliGoliGoli said:

What exactly do you mean by all follicles of the head are genetically identical? That doesn't ring true. Are you just saying no gene or cluster of genes has been found that would make the safe zone hairs different? If so I'd say absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. 

If you don't mind please elaborate on your mechanical stress/skull expansion thoughts. 

I'm going to make a separate post about my findings, stay tuned

[Gatsby]

It's biological not muscular.

[100Rings]

5 minutes ago, Gatsby said:

It's biological not muscular.

read my latest post