If You Come to Kazakhstan, Don't Forget the Rogaine

February 23, 2009

Recently, my site mate and I realized something disturbing that we have in common. We are both losing our hair. I am not, mind you, referring to hair on top of my head that is still slowly, steadily receding, but the hair on my legs. Furthermore, the loss has not been slow or gradual, but sudden, within the last couple of months, and patchy. At first, I thought the hair loss was caused by friction from my sweat pants when I went running, but I scrapped that diagnosis since my site mate is having the same problem and he does almost no physical exercise. I then looked this problem up on WebMD and it suggested a possible thyroid condition, but neither of us is chronically tired or rapidly gaining weight. So that does not seem to be it either. The only thing left to blame I guess is the ecology or the nearby spaceport, Baikanor. I usually roll my eyes when my students blame their headaches on the shuttle launches, but who knows; maybe they are on to something, but if anyone has any other possible diagnosis, please share.