Evolutionarily speaking, why do I have a receding hair line?

Question

I can think of absolutely no reason for going bald. It seems to me that I should have hair on my head to keep myself warm in the climate I live in.

Bear in mind my freinds that even the eskimos, who have lived by some accounts for 30,000 years in their climate (cold) also have baldness.

Answer 1

You are past your mating prime, and so women need that signal.

If you don't have a woman to make you cap, you will die of exposure.

Answer 2

Evolution can only act on traits that affect an organism's ability to reproduce. Male pattern baldness typically manifests after a man's peak reproductive years, and therefore has little to do with his ability to obtain a mate and produce offspring (if we assume that baldness correlates negatively with desirability). In other words, evolution does not act on this trait. Men who go bald after having children do not have fewer children than men who retain a full head of hair, and therefore their genes are passed on. The gene for MPB is passed along as well.

Male baldness might be selected against if women chose not to mate with bald men (or those with bald relatives) or if being bald affected your ability to survive. But that's not likely: just look at Patrick Stewart for an example of a bald man who is typically considered to be sexy and the plethora of hats available. Baldness just isn't important to survival and reproduction across the species.

Answer 3

Because balding typically happens after what were the prime reproductive years in paleolithic humans, the baldness trait wasn't selected against. The same can be said of other age related traits, including those that are actually detrimental to more than youth obsessed pride.

Answer 4

As time goes on, man has adapted with things such as duller and fewer teeth in our mouths, less hair everywhere on our bodies--that's why we only have hair on our heads, armpits, and pubic regions. It's why a lot of men have developed "male pattern baldness". And it's why more and more of us are not growing "wisdom teeth", or why we only have two. It's such a slow process that it's almost un-noticeable! But isn't it a wonderful thing?! I don't know why everyone is so afraid of it, except for ignorance!!

Answer 5

Unfortunately by the time that trait shows up, it's way too late in the genetic lottery to be much of an evolutionary advantage or disadvantage.

Oh, and by the way, evolution doesn't work the way you're thinking. It's not like you'd move to Fargo in January and "evolve" hair by February. Sorry!

Answer 6

Did you play baseball when you were little? Or wear ball caps tightly growing up? My theory is that if you wear tight hats growing up most likely you have restricted circulation, therefore skin is not so tough to holding your hair. Sounds silly but really look at all the baseball players in their 40's. - Evolutionaly speaking - your covered head(baseball cap) doesnt need hair for warmth therefore allows your hair to fall out.

Answer 7

It is probably a side effect of another selective advantage. For example too much testosterone (DHT to be more specific) can cause hair loss. The excess testosterone may have been the selective advantage. For a more improbable explanation, maybe losing your hair makes it harder for your enemies to grab you by the hair and scalp you.

Answer 8

If you mean that in ur life time ur getting bald its caus the human race have somewhat de-evolved in the area concerning hair. most animals can maintain hair because their genes allowed them to but our genes have changed since we wear cloths and it dosnt matter anymore if we can grow hair. theres a term for this but i cant spell it XD

Answer 9

Evolution can't completely explain it because humans kind of screw up the whole process sometimes. I think your answer is that historically a larger forehead (within reason, of course) was seen as a sign of intelligence.

Answer 10

spend the next 15 yrs living outside in nature it will grow back