Hello, This Is Your Hair Speaking
Hello, this is your hair speaking. Yes, the very same lush crown on your head that you are so proud of. Having known you since you arrived, kicking and screaming, into this world, I want to say that you really matter to me; and I am sure I matter to you too. When you want to impress someone, I am the first thing you flaunt. When you are stressed and tired, I am the first to feel it. The time has come for us to sit down, face to the mirror, and have a chat about why our friendship may either have a happily-ever-after, or a tragic ending.
Family Matters
You love your mom, and so you should. When it comes to our friendship, however, she may matter if you begin to see a little less of me on your head. Science has suggested, with studies backing the claim, that baldness in young men are linked to the X-chromosome: your mother’s gene. But it is not all her fault.
New studies are throwing light on the fact that a mixture of genes may also matter when you begin to lose me in the shower, on your bed sheet, in the gym’s changing room, or even when you are walking down the street.
Here’s something you should try: The next time you are at a family reunion or a big, fat family wedding, casually observe how many uncles have shining heads and how many don’t. This is why family matters: they reveal if the two of us will part like Rome and Juliet or live happily together like Chandler and Monica.
Androgenic Alopecia – Not An Alien
Androgenic Alopecia is not the name of an alien being. It is what science calls when our special relationship comes to an abrupt end – baldness. Your family’s genes matter to me a great deal, but there are other thorns that can harm our delicate relationship as well: Stress, fatigue, medical conditions, age; all of them matter. Lifestyle choices matter too. Smoking should be avoided like the drunk uncle at the wedding. What I am trying to say is that while heredity does matter, pointing the finger at your parents or the extended family will only help you see part of the picture.
Genetics Is (Not) Your Destiny
Genetics matter but think of what you have inherited as a template on which you can build your wellness and health. It does not need to be your destiny. If the uncles in your family, or even your own father, is balding, our relationship does not need to meet the same tragic fate. You can view the situation as glass half-empty or half-full. I say half-full because when you know what’s in store – hair loss- you can minimise it by adopting healthy habits and reducing stress. Then the next time you look in the mirror, you will still see your pride, your lush crown, and your true friend.
