At long last. Baldness, and that would be by chance not choice, may be a thing of the past. Researchers believe they have isolated the protein that causes male-pattern baldness, after finding an abundance of it on men who have lost their hair.

The culprit is called prostaglandin D2 or PGD2, according to a study in Science Translational Medicine. And according to the research done at the University of Pennsylvania, PGD2 was three times higher in the bald spots than where hair was growing. PGD2 was three times higher in the bald spots than where hair was growing.

Prostaglandins first were tied to hair growth when patients taking an artificial form of them for glaucoma were documented as having an interesting side effect–very long eyelashes. The glaucoma drug was Lumagin. The rebranded drug is Latisse, promoted by spokeswoman Brooke Shields. Same thing for Viagra, which was a result of research into treatment for angina.

Currently, drugs blocking prostaglandin D2 are being tested by both Merck & Co and Actelion Ltd.. But they are for other uses, not hair loss. But given FDA history as we know it, who knows? Either of them could be the future cure for baldness.