Is stress of moving to US making Prince Harry go bald? Doc's shocking insight
A leading United Kingdom cosmetic surgeon has drawn up a virtual picture of how Prince Harry might look like when he turns 50 and it shows the Duke of Sussex looking almost bald.
Dr Asim Shahmalak at Crown Clinic in Manchester says that although Harry is balding at a slower rate than his elder brother, Prince William, the former's hair loss has accelerated since he moved to the United States with his wife, Meghan Markle last year. So, despite being ten years behind the Duke of Cambridge, when it comes to falling victim to male pattern baldness, Harry might be virtually bald by the time he turns 50.
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Generational royal baldness
Shahmalak said that 36-year-old Harry is at the same stage of hair loss as William was when he was 26. "The baldness gene is not as strong in Harry but he is still losing his hair quickly. At present most of Harry's hair loss is around the crown area. He has a growing bald patch right across his crown and you can also see that his hair is also thinning out towards the front," the surgeon said.
"Without treatment, the acceleration we have seen over the last 15 months will only increase over the next year. Harry may never be as bald as his brother William. William has been more affected than any of the royal men."
The condition of male pattern baldness is something that has existed in the royal family for generations. Harry "inherited the powerful baldness gene from his father Prince Charles who got it from his father Prince Philip. With each generation, the hair loss appears to be getting worse which can happen in some families," Shahmalak said.
"An added factor is that there is also a hair loss gene on Harry and William's mother Diana's side. Her father, Earl Spencer, was also bald. The baldness gene can be passed down on both sides of the family."
'Harry still has time'
Over the last 12 years, William has lost nearly all the hair on the top of his scalp. Meanwhile, Harry's rate of hair loss has been slower. However, the rate had picked up pace over the last two years, Shahmalak claimed.
Sharing a graphic to show how Harry's hair will look at 50, the doctor added, "No two brothers are the same, but both William and Harry have inherited the same baldness gene. It is too late for Prince William and there is nothing that can be done to reverse his hair loss. Harry still has time if he wants to take action. Harry will be almost as bald as his older brother at 50 if he does nothing, though he will probably have a little more hair at the front of his scalp."
Since the lockdown restrictions were eased at his famous clinic, Shahmalak said that there has seen a surge in bookings. "People have saved up money during the lockdowns and now they are ready to spend. It is also easier to have a hair transplant when you are working from home. You can stay quietly at home during the recovery period and stay more anonymous while the new hair grows back," he said.