Did UCLA Just Cure Baldness?

Existing Treatments & Side Effects

• Many commenters report that oral finasteride/dutasteride can halt or partially reverse hair loss, especially when combined with oral minoxidil.
• However, side effects are a major theme:
  • Loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, testicular pain.
  • Depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation; at least one person only connected their suicidal thoughts to finasteride afterward.
  • Rare or less-known effects like vivid, hyper-realistic dreams.
  • Concerns about gynecomastia via hormone changes.
• Some accept these trade-offs (sometimes using tadalafil to offset sexual side effects); others say it was terrifying and not worth it.
• Oral minoxidil is described as relatively mild for many, but not universally effective.
• Hair transplants and PRP get mixed reviews: often worthwhile but expensive, variable longevity, and possible upsell of dubious add-ons.

PP405 / UCLA Drug: Hype vs Reality

• Some readers see the article as legitimately promising: already in human trials, backed by VC money, potentially superior to finasteride.
• Others emphasize skepticism:
  • Betteridge’s law invoked; claims this is standard university hype.
  • Notes that most drug candidates fail and full approval usually takes many years.
• It’s reported as being in a phase 2a trial; timelines and odds of success remain unclear.
• Expectations of enormous market demand, high pricing, and inevitable spam/copycats.

Psychological & Social Dimensions of Baldness

• Strong divide between “just shave it, it’s fine” and “this really hurts me.”
• Several say baldness became a non-issue once they embraced the shave: low maintenance, no bad hair days, sometimes even social advantages.
• Others describe genuine distress at losing a feature they liked about themselves; they resent how casually others dismiss it.
• Discussion on whether concern is driven by women’s preferences vs men’s own self-image; many insist it’s mainly about how they feel in the mirror.
• Attempts to “normalize hair loss” run into the counterpoint that sexual attraction isn’t consciously chosen.

Evolution, Attraction & Culture

• Extended debate on why male pattern baldness persists:
  • Ideas include late onset after main reproductive years, neutral mutations, or environmental advantages (e.g., heat).
  • Pushback against simplistic “it evolved to repel women” stories; arguments over individual vs group selection.
• Parallel argument that culture could shift to care less about hair, but changing deep-seated norms is seen as non-trivial.