What's Up With Male Pattern Balding?

You've seen it in the movies, you've spotted it on TV. You'venoticed it at the workplace and (if you're a man) you may evenhave seen it on yourself. It's that classic hairdo that nevergoes out of fashion: male pattern balding. What's up with thisstrange fact of mens' lives? Why does it happen? Can we stop it?And why does it have that weird shape?First, if you're not sure what male pattern balding looks like,scan the room you're in or look at the TV. Chances are if yousee ten men, you'll spot at least a couple sporting some stageof the male pattern balding hairdo. It begins with a bit of areceding hairline and some thin hair right on top. And as thepattern develops, the hairline heads back towards the increasingbald spot until the two become one.So why does it happen? Male pattern balding is a result of thetwo H factors: heredity and hormones. Unfortunately, the exactcause is not clear, but we know it has to do with these twofactors. Let's take a look at them both.Heredity refers to the simple fact that if you're family has ahistory of hair loss, you'll probably be sporting some malepattern baldness at some point in your life. Obviously, this isa pretty common condition. In fact, by the time men are 30, aquarter of them have begun to lose their hair. By 60, two thirdsof men have experienced hair loss.The second factor is the male hormone testosterone.Testosterone, as all guys know, shows up during puberty andcauses hair to start growing all over the place. Ironically, itis testosterone and its close relative DHT that stops hair fromgrowing on the scalp. Follicles become smaller and smaller untilthe hair ceases to exist at all.Is there anything you can do about it? Well, not really.Honestly, if there was a cure would half of the male populationbe sporting this silly hairstyle? Now there are some optionsthat work for some people, but understand that none are a cure.Rogaine is a very well known hair regrowth treatment as is theprescription drug Propecia. You can also research hairtransplants and hair pieces. The simple fact, however, is that we don't understand malepattern balding, can't control it, and can't cure it. It doesn'tcause any medical conditions and certainly won't kill you. Atworst, it is a socially embarrassing condition. But only if youmake it that. Losing your hair doesn't change you and your truefriends will know that. Will women pay you less attention? Onlythe ones that you don't want a longterm relationship withanyway. So don't panic. Don't do anything silly like try a combover. Embrace your new hair style and be confident that at least25% of your peers are going through the same thing.