Scientists Find a New Way for Men to Check the Chances of Getting Bald

Losing hair and going bald aren’t always welcomed! And other than some assumptions based on genetic trends, there’s no definite telling if you’re going to be bald. But now, scientists have made a startling discovery that there’s a way for men to figure out the possibility of them going bald ahead of the actual natural process. And it involves their fingers!

The Discovery

The length of your fingers can give you an idea beforehand about the chances of losing your hair. In Taiwan, a study was conducted among 240 men above 37, all suffering from androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness. The scientists surprisingly found that it was their right-hand fingers that could pre-indicate the condition. According to their findings, male baldness, commonly affecting two in every three men, can occur six times more if a man’s index finger is shorter than his ring finger. As Dr. Ching-Ying Wu, lead researcher of the study, stated, the lower the right-hand second-digit to fourth-digit ratio, the greater the risk among men of developing androgenetic alopecia and going bald.

The Cause

The theory behind this bizarre-sounding scientific finding is that a longer ring finger among men might be a sign of high testosterone exposure before birth, occurring within the womb. Levels of this particular hormone absorbed before the birth of a boy can also be linked to heart health and the development of hair follicles as well. The research found that white British men have a 50% chance of going bald by the time they are in their 40s. But the statistics increase to 80% by the time the men reach 80. According to doctors, baldness can start in the early 20s or even as early as the late teenage years. You need to look out for signs like starting hair loss at the back of the head, noticeable hair thinning, or a receding hairline.