A new study has found good news for men who go bald at a young age- they appear to be less likely to develop prostate cancer.

And the male hormone testosterone seems to be the key link in the chain.

Researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine studied 2000 men
aged 40-47, half of whom had suffered prostate cancer.

They compared the prostate cancer rate between men who said their hair had started thinning by the age of 30 and those who hadn't experienced any hair loss by this age.

And they found that men who had developed bald patches on the tops of their heads, as well as receding hairlines had a 29% to 45% lower risk of prostate cancer.

The researchers also found a link between the high levels of testosterone in those who started to lose hair early and a lower risk of developing prostate cancer tumours.

However, prostate cancer sufferers are often given drugs to lower their testosterone levels because the hormone can trigger growth in some prostate cancer tumours.

Baldness is caused when hair follicles are exposed to large amounts of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a chemical produced by testosterone.