Male Pattern Baldness Is Actually Hereditary

Be Bald and Be Free Day is on October 14, and we’re here to show you how to celebrate the day in style. There are millions of people who are affected by baldness, either due to natural causes or medical treatments, which is why this day is dedicated to the bald and the beautiful.

• 4000 BC – Our ancestors from the Stone Age shaved their heads and beards using clamshells.
• 27 AD – Roman priests, as part of rituals, shave their heads using tools like Novacila and pumice stones.
• 1897 – it was believed that a newly discovered microbe was the cause of baldness, which was later debunked.
• 1950s – Many celebrities go for the bald look.
• 1980s – Thomas and Ruth Roy encourage people to celebrate Be Bald and Be Free Day on October 14.
• 1990s – the shaved head style was at its peak with people like Michael Jordan, Evander Holyfield, and Bruce Willis further popularizing the trend.
• two-thirds of the male population will experience some hair loss by the time they are 35 years old.
• By the age of 50, half of the male population experiences hair loss.
• 44% of women aged between 35 to 45 find bald men more attractive.
• Everyone loses up to 100 hairs per day.
• It’s a myth that male pattern baldness is passed down through genes from maternal relatives. In fact, the hair loss gene can come from either side, maternal or paternal.
• Over 250 genes contribute to male pattern baldness, so it may be completely out of your control.
• Trichology, the study of the scalp and hair follicles, has become an important aspect of the hair loss industry.
• There are many people who believe that shaving the hair can cause it to grow back. Although this has long been believed by many, it is actually a myth.
• Hair loss begins in the hair follicle and shaving simply cuts hair at the surface. In fact, if the hair follicle is dying and has not released the last strand of hair, shaving that hair may result in immediate baldness.
• Certain types of hair loss can be caused by stress, hormone changes and other factors. Male Pattern Baldness is actually hereditary.
• However, some men may find themselves losing their hair and feel that they are “balding” when the hair loss is actually caused by other factors, such as stress, medication, illness or changes in hormone levels.
• Male Pattern Baldness is permanent, whereas some other types of hair loss are not.
• Male Pattern Baldness only affects the top of the head.
• An auto-immune disease called Alopecia Totalis affects hair on the head such as the top of the head, eyelashes, eyebrows and Alopecia Universalis which causes hair loss on the entire body. Your medical doctor can help you identify if it’s hereditary or medical.
• These are some of history’s most powerful bald men, with and without their hair, along with their thoughts on all follicular matters.
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower – Ike reportedly workshopped baldness cures with George S. Patton.
  • Winston Churchill – Churchill said, “A man of my limited resources cannot presume to have a hairstyle. Get on and cut it.”
  • Mahatma Gandhi – When he had it, Gandhi cut his own hair.
  • Dick Cheney – In his memoir, Cheney noted that his grandfather had white hair, so not all Cheneys were bald.
  • Rupert Murdoch – According to one biographer, Murdoch dyes his own hair.
  • Jeff Bezos – According to one Quora user, when Bezos lived in New York, he had “auburn hair and showed [coworkers] a funny hat that went well with his hair.”
  • Cory Booker – The Twitter-friendly politician considers his shaved head a cautionary measure.
  • John McCain – McCain’s nickname was “the white tornado,” because he developed white hair relatively young.
  • Patrick Stewart – Balding at the age of 19, it took Patrick Stewart just one year to become completely bald; as he said, “It was not only inhibiting as a person, but it was hopeless if you were an actor, of course.” Self-acceptance was a key moment for him and his career.
  • Stanley Tucci – Being described as “sexy” 15.6 million times in blogs, reports, and pages, Stanley Tucci is definitely considered one of the sexiest bald men on the Internet.
  • The Rock – “I’m not bald because I went bald. I’m bald because my hair is a cross between an afro and hair from a Lama’s ball sac”, jokes Dwayne Johnson.
  • Telly Savalas – First, he went bald for the role of Pontius Pilatethe, he liked the shaved head look so much that he never grew his hair back again and remained bald for almost 30 years.
• It’s actually a myth that men go bald and women don’t. While hair loss is more common in men than in women, both male pattern baldness and female pattern hair loss are very real conditions.
• By the age of 50, more than 40% of women will see symptoms of female pattern hair loss
• Celebrity actresses shaving their heads are becoming more common than ever. Charlize Theron, Anne Hathway, and Natalie Portman are actresses who went for the shaved head and set a whole new trend.
• Other hair loss conditions also affect women. Alopecia areata and alopecia totalis — partial or total loss of scalp hair — rates are higher in women than in men. Poor hair care and damaging styling practices can also contribute to women’s hair loss.
• Q. Should I go against or with the grain when shaving my scalp?
  A. The schools of thought are divided on the topic of against or with the grain. If you want a closer shave, go against the grain. If you prefer to be gentle with your skin, go with the grain. This guidance applies wherever you are shaving.
• Q. Do I need to wear sunblock if my scalp is bald?
  A. Yes. Any exposed skin will be at risk of sunburn and damage when outdoors. Wearing a hat is another option.
• Q. How often should I shave my head?
  A. Shaving every other day or every third day will prevent your scalp from becoming dry and irritated.

Sources: 

National Today

National Day Calendar

LH Hair

VOX

Skull Shaver

Wimpole Clinic