Some men regard hair loss as a mark of masculinity, but for many affected, both men and women, it is far from welcome.
With an estimated 40 per cent of men and 30 per cent of women in the UK having lost some or all of their hair, the search for the perfect hair-loss remedy continues.
Treatments can bolster thinning hair and trigger new growth, but improvements are limited and some side-effects, intolerable.
One of the best treatments is minoxidil, an over-the-counter lotion or foam that increases blood flow to the scalp, nourishing hair follicles, the tiny sacs from which hairs sprout (it costs about £40 a month).