Bald and Distinguished

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Paul Cézanne, self-portrait c. 1875

Science is making incredible progress in finding the cause and cure for many life-threatening diseases. Still, some unwelcome age-related changes, such as baldness, remain poorly understood.

We lose about one hundred hairs every day in the comb or shower. This is nothing to worry about, since new hair is growing all the time. For bald people this new growth is either arrested as peach fuzz, or in extreme cases, doesn’t even start.

The premature loss of hair that occurs in some men on a grand scale is an inherited trait. Contrary to what is often claimed, baldness genes are passed down from both sides of the family, and often skip generations. Genes may cause one man to go bald, while his brother retains his hair.

Because of their genetic programming, certain men have hair follicles that are predisposed to shrinking under the influence of the male hormone, dihydro testosterone. This hormone begins to be produced in quantity in adulthood. Once this process of follicle shrinkage has started it continues through the years. Eventually it can cause hair to stop growing before it reaches normal length or cause it to thin out. The receding hair line, called male pattern baldness, occurs when the shrinking follicles stop producing hair at all, except for the sides and back of the head.

So next time you notice those hairs in your comb, don’t worry about it too much. And if they are not soon replaced, you can blame your genes.