Possible cure for baldness: scientists make skin grow new hair by itself

Baldness is a widespread condition that can lead to anxiety, depression and social phobia. Subsequently there are a number of treatments, but -- while some have had mild success in regrowing hair -- they're largely ineffective.

However, a recent discovery by scientists may one day present a cure. They've managed to stimulate the skin of laboratory mice to grow new, fully-functional hair follicles -- essentially, new hair where there wasn't any before.

The new growth is linked to a protein, that -- oddly -- only works under "wound conditions." Subsequently, scientists imagine one day selling a cream that would actually damage the skin (very gently), in order to create conditions in which the hair-growing protein can be effective.

For anyone who's feeling self-conscious about growing bald, the good news is the new treatment will be as easy to apply as teen acne cream. The bad news is that, even "if it all went perfectly," scientists don't think it will be ready for two or three years.

Until then, think of all the famous bald guys you could fashion yourself after -- like Patrick Stewart, Sean Connery, Bruce Willis, or Andre Agassi. Maybe, by the time the treatment is available, you won't need it after all.