Scientists have uncovered a 'simple' way to cure hair loss

Researchers from Penn State University , the University of California, Irvine , and National Taiwan University investigated the social and biological evolution of human hair.

Long hair probably first evolved when humans first emerged in equatorial Africa around 300,000 years ago as a way of protecting our heads from the intense heat of the sun.

Long scalp hair is an effective sun shield so ancient humans didn't need to sweat so much to cool down, and so could go longer without water.

Later, humans began to select for long hair because it conveyed essential signals related to an individual’s age, sexual maturity, health and social status.

Co-author Professor Maksim Plikus , of the University of California , says: 'Understanding how human scalp hair follicles normally grow very long hair will naturally result in novel molecular targets for more efficacious therapies for hair loss. 'This knowledge could lead to treatments that help restore hair growth and alleviate the emotional distress that often accompanies hair loss.'.