As a general rule, Asian men have fewer hereditary baldness problems than Caucasians. However, cigarette smoking can change that trend. According to a study by Lin-Hui Su of Memorial Hospital and Tony Hsiu-Hsi of National Taiwan University, smoking is not only bad for your health, but also for your hair.
After studying 740 men in Taiwan, researchers have concluded that tobacco destroys hair follicles , interferes with the circulation of blood and hormones in the scalp, and excessively increases estrogen levels. All of this could accelerate hair loss. However, fortunately for the Taiwanese, the rate at which their alopecia progresses continues to be much slower than in the West.
The study, published this month in the Archives of Dermatology , recommends that men with early signs of hair loss be informed about how smoking can accelerate their incipient baldness.
