Sebum oil build-up, scalp inflammation and oxidation damage from free radicals all contribute to hair loss

Sebum, inflammation and oxidative stress contribute to hair loss.

Attached to your hair follicles are sebaceous glands that produce an oil called sebum.  This oil contains the DHT that destroys follicles.  Even as the follicle shrinks, the gland stays the same size – producing a constant amount of oil in the miniaturized follicle.

In certain cultures it has been observed that men with oily skin have a greater tendency to experience hair loss.  Check your pillowcase.  You may be surprised to see a yellowish stain.  This is the excess sebum being produced by your follicle glands.

Sebum causes a few problems that accelerate hair loss. Since it has a high concentration of DHT, letting it accumulate on the scalp damages the follicles.  Plus, when oil solidifies and hardens, it can plug follicles and become a breeding ground for bacteria that damage the scalp.

Inflammation is your body’s protection mechanism against foreign invaders – such as bacteria or chemicals from hair care products.  Dr. Albert M. Kligman , the noted dermatologist from the Universtity of Pennsylvania, conducted a research study with several collegues to determine if scalp inflammation was a factor in male baldness.  They found there was significantly more inflammation on the scalps of balding males compared to non-balding peers.  This supports the conclusion that scalp inflammation plays a role in hair loss.

Free radicals are toxic chemicals that are created in our bodies during normal metabolic functions.  We also get them from environmental sources.  In your body, free radicals act as “pro-oxidants” and cause the same type of oxidative damage that you observe watching a peeled apple decay or unprotected metal rust. 

Free radicals damage follicle cells and more importantly oxidize DHT and testosterone, which causes further hair loss.  In addition Japanese researchers found that oxidized sebum kills cells in the papilla – the base of the follicle where hair is formed.  

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