Why so many bald men in Spain: the keys to hair loss
Genetics, vegetable oils and hairstyles: the keys behind widespread baldness in Spain, according to 1960s photos and haplogroups.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Baldness in Spain: genetics, diet or plain pride?
Where do all the bald men in Spain come from, when the average Spaniard boasts thick hair? The question, which arises when comparing Baltic heads with local ones, has several answers. The first is genetic: androgenetic alopecia travels with European haplogroups, and Spaniards are no strangers to that burden. The second is dietary: the replacement of animal fats with vegetable oils throughout the 20th century may have aggravated what was already there by default.
Those who back the dietary thesis recall that early last century, experiments with rats already showed hair loss linked to vegetable oils. Photos of Spanish beaches and swimming pools in the 1960s show little baldness, and late onset; the difference with today's images suggests that diet and habits accelerated what genetics had sown.
Against that, some stress the social component: 40 years ago receding hairlines were worn with pride; today they are disguised with forward-combed hairstyles. The impression that there are more bald men may be, in part, an optical illusion.
The most exotic theories exist —cured meats, suffering, vaccines— but none withstand serious analysis. With genetics and diet against him, the Spaniard's only consolation is that baldness is no longer hidden: it is covered with a fringe, which amounts to the same thing.
Where do all the bald men in Spain come from, when the average Spaniard boasts thick hair? The question, which arises when comparing Baltic heads with local ones, has several answers. The first is genetic: androgenetic alopecia travels with European haplogroups, and Spaniards are no strangers to that burden. The second is dietary: the replacement of animal fats with vegetable oils throughout the 20th century may have aggravated what was already there by default.
Those who back the dietary thesis recall that early last century, experiments with rats already showed hair loss linked to vegetable oils. Photos of Spanish beaches and swimming pools in the 1960s show little baldness, and late onset; the difference with today's images suggests that diet and habits accelerated what genetics had sown.
Against that, some stress the social component: 40 years ago receding hairlines were worn with pride; today they are disguised with forward-combed hairstyles. The impression that there are more bald men may be, in part, an optical illusion.
The most exotic theories exist —cured meats, suffering, vaccines— but none withstand serious analysis. With genetics and diet against him, the Spaniard's only consolation is that baldness is no longer hidden: it is covered with a fringe, which amounts to the same thing.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (16 replies).
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