This research group concluded that men who start experiencing "baldness" at a young age have a 29% to 45% lower chance of developing prostate cancer compared to the general male population, likely linked to hormone levels.

Hair loss or baldness is a significant issue for men of all ages around the world. A document titled 'Alopecia Market Analysis By Treatment (Oral, Topical, Injectable), By Gender (Men, Women) And Segment Forecasts To 2024' prepared by Grand View Research estimates that the market for products and solutions related to baldness was worth approximately $7.3 billion in 2015.

This indicates that many men consider hair loss a serious concern.

Even in the well-known Thai epic 'Khun Chang Khun Phaen', baldness is associated with the villain, Khun Chang, who is described as having a bald head with a distinctive feature: while he has little hair on his head, he possesses a thick mustache and beard.

Westerners also perceive baldness as unattractive. In fact, a study conducted at Old Dominion University in 1990 (J. Appl. Soc. Psych., Feb. 1990, doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.1990.tb00404.x) concluded that upon first meeting, individuals with less hair are perceived as less physically attractive than those with more hair.

Moreover, it can lead to significant misjudgments about a person's age.

The experimental method was straightforward: 54 men and 54 women were shown slides of 18 pairs of individuals, one bald (the experimental group) and one with hair (the control group). While there has been considerable research on this topic, the results show both similarities and differences, including various aspects that can be further broken down. For instance, a study published in the journal Ethology and Sociobiology (2(2):99-117, December 1996, doi.org/10.1016/0162-3095(95)00130-1) indicated that baldness can have several positive effects, which can be explained by evolutionary theory.

They used undergraduate volunteers, with 102 men and 102 women, and showed them photographs of male models aged 19-25 in six different styles: (1) short hair with a dark beard, (2) short hair with no beard, (3)-(5) varying lengths of short hair, and finally (6) a full head of dark brown wig hair.

Participants rated the men based on their feelings, categorizing them into four main groups: (1) facial attractiveness, (2) aggression, (3) attentiveness, and (4) social skills, with further details including honesty, intelligence, and certain social traits.

The results were quite surprising.

The team concluded that this group viewed bald men as honest, intelligent, educated, adaptable to society, and possessing leadership qualities. While baldness may slightly reduce physical attractiveness to the opposite sex, the impact is not as significant as one might think.

Baldness is a hereditary trait found in all demographics and is often associated with certain hormone levels, such as DHT (dihydrotestosterone), which is derived from the male sex hormone testosterone. Excess DHT can shrink hair follicles, leading to thinner hair and faster hair loss.

However, scientists question why such a seemingly disadvantageous trait has persisted through evolution.

One interesting theory suggests that baldness contrasts with aggressive traits, indicating that baldness may represent a non-threatening social dominance, essentially making one appear as a kind and gentle man, a trait that may have been naturally selected as men's social roles have evolved, particularly in child-rearing.

The research team also found preliminary data indicating that the degree of baldness does not correlate with the number of sexual partners, suggesting that women are not solely attracted to physical appearance (as bald men are less attractive than those with hair) but also consider personality traits. In simple terms, baldness is not a significant problem; Khun Chang would surely agree that with enough money, baldness can be a minor issue.

What I find most interesting about baldness is that research has identified positive correlations with having less hair. A study from the University of Washington in 2010 (Cancer Epidemiol. 2010 Apr; 34(2):131-5. doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2010.02.003.) examined 2,000 men aged 40-47 and surprisingly found that half of these men later developed prostate cancer, but those who began balding at a young age had a 29% to 45% lower chance of developing prostate cancer compared to the general male population, likely linked to higher testosterone levels during adolescence.

Thus, while bald men may not seem as attractive to the opposite sex, they still possess many appealing qualities and, importantly, have a better chance of surviving significant male health issues!!

SOURCE : www.bangkokbiznews.com