Why go bald ? It is a question a lot of us ask ourselves as we wonder why we lose strands of our crowning glories and glowing manes, on a regular basis. It’s a fact of life for many people who lose their hair due to stress, diet and many other factors.

It can be extremely distressing for both men and women to find their hair is starting to thin out. Roughly 25 percent of men begin balding by age 30; two-thirds begin balding by age 60. There is a 4 in 7 chance of getting the baldness gene.

Cures for baldness, of varying efficacy, have been around for thousands of years. Cleopatra famously used a paste of ground horse teeth and deer marrow to try and cure her boyfriend Julius Caesar’s thinning locks. To no avail, if the surviving sculptures are accurate.

Many other cures have been touted down the years, from rubbing the scalp with nettles, curry powder or cow-pats to getting a cow to lick your head.

For Dubliners feeling a chill wind on their head, there has been an iconic sign at the bottom of Dame Street for close on fifty years. The sign, with the words ‘Why go Bald’ under a quasi-religious flashing head, is one of the oldest operating neon signs in the country.

In the late nineties it was due to be dumped until a group called 20th Century Trust objected. The sign was subsequently restored free of charge by Taylor Signs, who built it 49 years ago. The sign is appreciated by many famous Dubliners, including Bono of U2, who said it was his favourite Dublin landmark

Universal Hair, Scalp and Beauty Clinic, who own the sign, are located at the bottom of Dame Street. Ask them and they will say, “there’s no reason to go bald!” All hair & skin problems are analysed and treated by top professionals in the field of trichology and dermatology.

This is good news if you are trying to combat hair loss, thinning hair and related problems such as dandruff, dry skin flakes, dry and oily scalp as well as alopecia and psoriasis in both men and women. A private consultation is arranged on arrival at Universal, and you are told exactly what treatment would be best required to fix the problem.

The client will feel more at ease to know the problem is being addressed and hair loss can be a thing of the past. Dr. Sean Trapp has a practice in dermatology and diseases of the feet and veins. His colleague, Dr. Conor Kiely is a hair transplant surgeon.

They advise that it is important to remember that most hair loss conditions or scalp problems do not go away by themselves, and can in a lot of cases often worsen if left unattended. Universal’s advice to anyone who has a problem with their hair or scalp is to do something about it sooner, rather than later.

It is important to watch out for hair loss. It could be a simple thing like not eating enough greens. Diet is extremely important, and lots of fluids keep us hydrated on a daily basis.

Universal Clinic is open 5 days a week, including Saturday, with 3 late nights.

If help or advice is needed, you can call their helpline on 01-6793618 and any queries will be addressed in a private and confidential manner.