IS BALDNESS A THERMOREGULATORY ADAPTIVE PROCESS

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  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 299  (12) , 499-502
Abstract
In 100 adult men the area of the face and neck where beard was growing was measured and compared to that of glabrous skin on the forehead and calvaria. In the population as a whole, forehead area was found to be proportional to bearded area. Forehead and calvaria sweat rate was measured on 10 baldheaded male subjects and compared with that of 10 hairy control subjects during mild hyperthermia. Bald skin was found to sweat more than twice as much as hairy skin. Baldness may be a thermoregulatory adaptative process.