30-33%

By age thirty, 33 percent of men will show some signs of male pattern baldness.

It’s caused by hair follicles that shut down in reaction to DHT, a testosterone byproduct. If you think you are losing some hair already, or the texture is thinning, dermatologists say now is the time to do something about it. Once the follicle has shut down altogether, it is extremely difficult to get it up and running again. One option is having a hair transplant, which can offer a realistic, natural look. If the thought of surgery makes you lose your hair, then there is minoxidil, applied two times a day.

Eighty percent of users find they can prevent further loss and even pump up your hair, but it takes months to see any result. Another shot is Propecia, a pill that suppresses DHT. A whopping ninety percent of men say they have stopped losing hair after using this product. Again, it takes a little time for results to show. Of course there is the usual list of potential side effects…less than one percent note the loss of their sex drive, ranging from “not interested” to “physically impossible”.

The good news is that you can try Propecia and if your sexual desire drops, you can stop taking the drug and the drive will return. Keep in mind that once you stop using either of the treatments, the hair is bye bye. One dermatologist says “It’s as if your body kept a clock and knew how much you were supposed to have lost by now.”

For further information from the University of Maryland click here.