Maury Povich’s full, luscious hair (pictured above in April 2025) is giving many twenty-somethings a run for their money. As he approaches 90, fans have often wondered if the the former secretive talk show host wore wigs. But Povich revealed the truth during a conversation. His hair is all his – something that shocks him as much as the next person. “I don’t know how,” he said on his podcast, “On par with Maury Povich,” in April 2026. “I mean, even my father’s hair, he lived until 92, was thinning.” Expert Penny James may have a logical reason: hereditary immunity to dihydrotestosterone.
Let’s break it down. Like James, a certified trichologist and founder of the Penny James Trichology Centertold Nicki Swift: Hair follicles shrink as we age. This age-related process causes hair to lose thickness, especially around the hairline and crown. This hair loss is visible in 50% of 50-year-old men and in 80% of 80-year-old men. “The growth stage becomes shorter, which is called androgenetic alopecia. That said, men do lose some hair; the hairline will recede slightly, not as thick as it once was,” she shared.
Those who remain who defy the statistics, she says, have their biology to thank. “Even if an 85-year-old man maintains perfectly healthy testosterone levels, he will only keep his hair if his scalp possesses a rare, hereditary immunity to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) – the hormone responsible for shrinking follicles over time,” she explained. Povich may have this genetic resilience, even if he doesn’t appear to have inherited it from his father.
Lifestyle habits can help men get Maury Povich-like hair
Maury Povich’s talk show ended in 2022 when he retired, but his hairline likely survived due to genetic luck. But trichologist Penny James told Nicki Swift that diet also plays an important role in hair health. If young men hope to keep their hairline in the same place for longer, they should focus on supporting micronutrient synthesis. “Ensuring adequate serum levels of ferritin (iron stores), zinc and vitamin D supports the high metabolic demands of rapidly dividing matrix cells in the hair bulb,” she explained.
Another important part of hair health is stress management. Chronic stress can cause hair loss by increasing cortisol levels. “Managing stress protects the follicular microenvironment from premature regression,” she said. James also emphasized that an anti-inflammatory shampoo, such as Juniper Scalp Therapy, can help control Malassezia yeast on the scalp, which can worsen structural thinning of the hair. And there are medications that can be helpful. Alpha-reductase inhibitors, oral or topical, inhibit the process that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, essentially giving users the genetic advantage that Povich might have naturally.
Potassium channel openers can also help in a more mechanical way by increasing blood flow to the dermal papilla. In addition, James identified androgen receptor antagonists. “Topical antiandrogens compete with DHT at the receptor level in the scalp, locally blocking harmful hormonal signals,” she told us. So, maintaining healthy eating habits is a good idea for many reasons, including hair health. But when the first signs of hair loss appear, there are also valuable options available.
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