“My hair grows in a widow’s peak shape. Is there anything I can do to get rid of this?”

Nikolas via Instagram.

Few things are likely to link Zayn Malik and Count Dracula; Luke Evans and Hannibal Lecter; and Leonardo DiCaprio and Eddie Munster. But a widow’s peak (rather than a penchant for villainy or, you know, eating people) does just that.

To start with, let’s just cover what a widow’s peak actually is. It’s a downward V-shape formation of hair in the centre of the hairline on the forehead. The name is a reference to the hoods widows used to wear after the death of their husbands. It’s also said to predetermine a significant other’s death when one of them (usually the male) starts to loose hair and develops a peak in the process.

But Gigi Hadid (and therefore all mankind) needn’t worry. Superstitions aside, the condition is simply a genetic trait, just like all other hairlines, eye colour and that weird roly tongue thing some people can do. In short, there’s nothing that can be done to change a widow’s peak, but there are a few styling tricks that can minimise its appearance.

(Related: 4 Men’s Hair Quirks – And How To Fix Them)

Even if the peak grows down your face along your nose and over your mouth to form a neat point on your chin, don’t attempt to shave it off. (Just join a circus or something.) Doing so will only result in awkward, stubbly regrowth that makes the rest of your hair look like a wig.

Instead, Ruffians artistic director Denis Robinson recommends working with your barber to figure out what style is best for your individual peak. “The thing with a widow’s peak or cowlick is that they have an absolute mind of their own, some will direct the hair in a particular way and, truthfully, it is best to just go with the flow.”

This could be anything from adopting a side parting to cutting in a tapered fringe. Whichever you pick, remember to make sure the style suits your face shape. Oh, and that it’s easily reversed in time for Halloween.