Now we can count in baldness as another nasty side effect of pollution. According to a new research, by academics at the University of London, baldness has been linked with environmental factors, such as air pollution and smoking.

“The scientists believe toxins and carcinogens found in polluted air can stop hair growing by blocking mechanisms that produce the protein from which hair is made. Baldness is known to be hereditary, but the new research suggests that environmental factors could exacerbate hair loss.”

Nilofer Farjo, a hair transplant doctor involved in the research, said that “this may lead to new methods of treating genetic hair loss. The research suggests that environmental factors like smoking and air pollution contribute to hair loss because they introduce elements that are harmful to the normal mechanisms by which the cells work.”

He continued by adding that “there’s undoubtedly genetics involved as well, but now we know there are environmental factors too. If you live in a place with cleaner air, you might be at less risk.”

The research suggests that pollution will only affect “male pattern baldness.” You can read more about this research over at the Telegraph.

Image credit: Mike Burns. Image licensed under a Attribution-Share Alike license.