Men can look at their fingers to check how likely they are to end up bald, scientists say
Losing your hair has always seemed like a bit of a lottery - if, of course, that lottery is one that nobody particularly wants to enter.
But now scientists have discovered that men may be able to tell whether or not they will go bald ahead of the event actually happening.
Even more surprisingly, there’s no real way to stop it - as it’s all to do with the length of their fingers.
Sounds bizarre, right? But stick with us as we talk you through it.
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In a study conducted in Taiwan among 240 men aged above 37 who had been diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia (otherwise known as male pattern baldness), scientists found that it was specifically the fingers on their right hand which could indicate the condition.
They say that male baldness, which commonly affects two in three men, is six times more likely to occur if a man’s ring finger is longer than his index finger.
Lead researcher Dr Ching-Ying Wu, of Kaohsiung Medical University, told The Sun: "Our study found that the lower the right-hand second digit to fourth digit ratio, the greater the risk of developing alopecia."
The thinking behind this weird discovery is that a longer ring finger may be a sign of high testosterone exposure that occurred within the womb.
Levels of the sex hormone absorbed before birth can also have an impact on heart health, sperm count and the chances of autism - as well as the development of hair follicles.
According to research, white British men have a 50% chance of losing their hair by the time they're in their 40s. Meanwhile, statistics reach 80% by the time they reach 80 - so encouragingly (or not), at least you probably won’t be the only one of your pals to eventually lose your locks.
Baldness can start as early as your late teenage years or early twenties, and signs to look out for include noticeable thinning, a receding hairline, or beginning signs of hair loss at the back of the head.
But all is not lost: as there has been a rise in hair transplant surgeries in recent years after celebrities, including former England ace Wayne Rooney, have undergone the procedure.
Back in 2011, the ex-footballer, now 37, told fans: “Just to confirm to all my followers I have had a hair transplant. I was going bald at 25, why not. I’m delighted with the result.
“It’s still a bit bruised and swollen when it dies down you will be the first to see it. Anyone recommend any good hair gel? Haha."
Sophie Cockerham