Charels Nessler
Chapter VIII – Hair and Obesity
Chapter VIII of The Story of Hair introduces one of Nessler’s most controversial and revealing arguments:
that body weight, nutrition, and hair growth are directly connected through energy, instinct, and lifestyle.
In this chapter, Nessler moves away from purely psychological explanations and builds a broader theory linking metabolism, modern habits, and human behavior.
Obesity as Unused Energy
Nessler defines obesity not simply as excess weight, but as:
“fuel which the body has stored up and holds in readiness for transformation into heat and energy.”
According to his argument:
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the human body stores energy as fat
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this energy is meant to be used
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if it is not used, it accumulates
He connects this directly to nervous and physical activity:
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high activity → energy is consumed → less fat
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low activity → energy remains unused → fat increases
Hair, in his view, becomes part of this system.
He suggests that strong hair growth reflects high internal activity, while weak hair indicates a lower energetic state.
Hair and Obesity as Parallel Indicators
A central claim of the chapter is:
hair and body fat reflect the same underlying condition
Nessler writes that:
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people with weak hair are more prone to obesity
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strong hair growth indicates a more active organism
This leads to a simplified model:
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strong organism → active → lean → more hair
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passive organism → inactive → fat → less hair
He interprets both traits as visible signs of deeper biological and psychological processes.
Critique of Modern Eating Habits
A large part of the chapter is dedicated to modern nutrition.
Nessler criticizes:
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fixed meal schedules
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calorie-based thinking
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artificial dietary rules
He argues that modern humans:
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eat according to habit, not need
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follow social rules instead of instinct
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lose the ability to regulate themselves naturally
“Our whole social structure is opposed to it and prevents us from being truly happy and healthy.”
He contrasts this with animals:
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animals eat when necessary
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humans eat by routine
This loss of instinct is, for him, a key reason for obesity.
Instinct vs Civilization
This chapter continues a core theme from earlier chapters:
civilization weakens natural instincts
Nessler argues that:
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early humans ate instinctively
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modern humans eat culturally
He gives examples such as:
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children developing artificial tastes
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preference for rich, processed food
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social pressure to follow eating norms
Food becomes:
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less about survival
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more about pleasure, status, and habit
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This, in his view, leads directly to imbalance.
Social Class and Lifestyle Observations
Nessler makes several observations about different social groups:
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working-class individuals → leaner, due to physical labor
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middle classes → more obesity
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wealthy individuals → prone to overconsumption
He attributes this not to wealth itself, but to:
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comfort
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reduced physical necessity
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distance from natural living conditions
These observations reflect real patterns—but his interpretation remains strongly simplified.
Critique of Exercise
One of the most striking parts of the chapter:
Nessler questions the effectiveness of exercise
He argues:
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exercise alone does not reduce fat
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it only creates temporary fatigue
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true fat reduction depends on internal energy use
“It is not the exercise that makes them thin.”
Instead, he claims that:
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naturally active individuals are lean
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their activity comes from inner drive, not discipline
This reverses the modern understanding of fitness.
Extreme Interpretations and Social Typing
Toward the end of the chapter, Nessler pushes his theory further.
He introduces examples of individuals and groups, linking:
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personality
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lifestyle
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body type
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hair growth
In some cases, he draws conclusions that reflect:
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cultural bias
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early 20th-century social thinking
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non-scientific generalizations
These passages must be understood within their historical context.
Hair as a Measure of Internal Activity
One of the key conceptual ideas of Chapter VIII:
hair is a “signpost” of internal energy
Nessler suggests that:
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the body distributes energy between functions
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hair growth is one of these outputs
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reduced energy → less hair
This leads to a broader interpretation:
hair becomes a visible indicator of:
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metabolism
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vitality
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psychological state
Conclusion of Chapter VIII
Chapter VIII extends Nessler’s central theory by integrating:
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nutrition
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metabolism
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lifestyle
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social behavior
His main conclusions:
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obesity results from unused energy
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modern eating habits disrupt natural balance
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instinct plays a key role in regulating the body
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hair and body weight reflect internal activity
While his framework is consistent within his system, it relies on assumptions that go far beyond scientific evidence.
Modern Scientific Perspective
Modern science does not support the idea that hair growth and obesity are directly linked through a shared “energy system” in the way Nessler proposes.
Today, these processes are understood separately:
Obesity
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caused by energy imbalance (calories in vs out)
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influenced by genetics, hormones, and lifestyle
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strongly linked to diet and physical activity
Hair Growth
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regulated by hair follicles and growth cycles
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influenced by genetics and hormones (especially DHT)
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affected by nutrition, but not directly tied to body fat
Key Differences to Nessler’s Theory
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hair is not a measure of total energy use
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obesity is not caused by weak instinct
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exercise does play a significant role in metabolism
However, one aspect of Nessler’s thinking remains relevant:
modern lifestyles can disrupt natural regulation systems
Research today confirms links between:
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stress and metabolism
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lifestyle and health outcomes
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behavior and long-term physical changes
But these relationships are far more complex than Nessler assumed.
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Original Chapter (1928)
Below you find the original scanned version of Chapter VIII from The Story of Hair by Charles Nessler.