Men of all ages are obsessed with checking for bald spots and the first indication that they’re starting to lose their hair.

For some people, such as Prince William, the loss is obvious even from an early age. The heir to the British throne, who is aged just 28, was pictured recently with a large bald spot and he has been losing his hair since his early twenties.

William is following in his father and grandfather’s footsteps, who also started to lose their hair at a young age, even though researchers believe male pattern baldness is passed through the female genes.

“It’s genetically inherited, but it can come from both sides of the family,” said dermatologist Dr. Doris Day of Lenox Hill Hospital. “Even if no one in the family has thinning hair, it can be in the genes and still just show up.”

The bad news for Prince William is that the earlier symptoms of baldness appear, the more hair you are likely to lose.

However, if he decided to try and treat the problem, medicine has made great advances in tackling hair loss in recent years.

“We have made great advancements in hair transplant technology, which is an option for all men,” Day said.  “And medications like Minoxidil and Propecia can also be effective for hair loss.”

The most commonly used medication in the US is Rogaine, which is successful in over 50% of cases, though it does have to be taken every day in order to be effective.

If he doesn’t want to try anything as serious as surgery or medication, there are special combs that are designed to stimulate hair growth, or he could try taking the tablets for a short while.