Next to losing ‘wood’, nothing is quite as terrifying to a man as a receding hairline or losing his hair. A thick thatch has long if erroneously, been associated with both masculinity and virility. A full head of hair is related to neither, of course, but that doesn’t stop men fretting about their follicles. So much so that a recent survey found that over 70 per cent of men worry about hair loss.

At the end of the day, most of us would rather keep the hair we have – if only because it’s fun to have a hairstyle and reassuring to have something to keep your bonce warm in the winter.

Hair Loss: The Facts

Problem is, lots of things conspire to rob your scalp of its most precious asset. Male pattern baldness, the hereditary condition that’s responsible for 95 per cent of hair loss in men, will affect up to half us by the time we hit 50 and almost 40 per cent of men will have experienced some hair loss by the age of 35.

Some men’s hair will begin to disappear at the crown; others will start to notice their hairline receding; while some unfortunate guys will see both areas affected at the same time. “The pattern depends on which hair follicles are genetically programmed with receptors to DHT (dihydrotestosterone) – the hormone which triggers hair loss,” explains trichologist Sally-Ann Tarver from The Cotswold Trichology Centre and Theradome GB.

“Where you start to lose your hair is down to the genes you inherited from your parents – and genes of both mother and father are inherited in male pattern baldness,” she says, putting to bed the myth that baldness is inherited solely from your mum’s side.

Other factors like stress, rough handling and diet can take their toll on the thickness of your thatch too. “As well as male pattern baldness, men can suffer from Telogen Effluvium or ‘diffuse hair loss’, which is often due to lifestyle and health issues.” This can be caused by anything from stress and illness to poor diet and nutrient deficiency.