Do bald men have a higher sex drive? GP separates hair loss fact from fiction
BALD men may not actually have a higher sex drive, despite the popular myth, a GP claims.
The link between baldness and virility has been around for millennia, with some believing higher testosterone levels could be behind a trend.
But research has since shown there is no clear relationship between lacking hair and being more sexually active.
Dr Neel Patel, a GP at LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, said: “There is a lot linking baldness and heightened virility.
“But it’s important to consider that virility encompasses a wide range of aspects, including sexual health, reproductive ability, and overall vitality.
“While it is influenced by numerous biological, psychological, and lifestyle factors, it is important to highlight that no scientific evidence supports a direct causal relationship between the two.”
Around 85 per cent of men will be affected by some form of hair loss by the time they are 50, according to the American Hair Loss Association.
Baldness can be caused by a variety of things, including your genetics, stress levels and diet, as well as illness or rapid weight loss.
A receding hairline can be caused by genetic sensitivity to a byproduct of testosterone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
A study, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, looked specifically at virility levels in bald men.
It found no significant association between baldness and the frequency of ejaculations.
Bald men were actually less likely to have had more than four female sexual partners in their life.
Despite the study’s findings, a separate survey found more than a third of 18- to 20-year olds believe being overly sexually active could increase your risk of balding, he said.
The survey found more than half also thought bald men are more sexually active and virile than those with a full head of hair.