Got hair? If not, you’ve got an increased prostate cancer risk

May 31, 2012

Researchers at the University of Toronto just published findings that showed that bald men who had prostate biopsies were more likely to have tumors than their harrier brothers.

“Bald men should be aware that they may benefit from being screened earlier and perhaps, if necessary, from being biopsied sooner,” said lead author, Dr. Neil Fleshner.”In the study, the more bald people were, the more likely they were to have prostate cancer. We’re 95 percent sure this is real.”

Before you panic, please remember that this study doesn’t show that baldness causes prostate cancer or vice versa. It’s just that there may be a connection. It’s likely that the same underlying issue is responsible for both. Some researchers suspect that the culprit may by an androgen (a group of male hormones which includes testosterone) called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT makes follicles shrink, which eventually leads to hair growth stopping. At the same time, DHT has been linked to development of prostate cancers.

So if you’re losing your hair, ask your doctor whether you need more frequent prostate cancer screening

Author: Armin Brott

Hailed by Time Magazine as “the superdad’s superdad,” Armin Brott has been building better fathers for more than a decade. As the author of eight bestselling books on fatherhood, he’s helped millions of men around the world become the fathers they want to be—and that their children need them to be.

He has written for The New York Times Magazine, Newsweek, American Baby, Parenting, Child, Men’s Health, The Washington Post, and dozens of other major publications and websites.

Armin has been a guest on hundreds of radio and television shows, including Today, CBS Overnight, Fox News, and Politically Incorrect, and his work on fatherhood has been featured in such places as Glamour, Time, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, Newsday, and many others.

Armin is the host of “Positive Parenting,” a weekly radio program which airs in the San Francisco Bay Area and a number of other markets. He also writes the nationally syndicated newspaper column, “Ask Mr. Dad.” As a trusted spokesperson, Armin speaks on fatherhood around the country and teaches classes for expectant and new dads. Armin lives with his family in Oakland, California.