As we all know, MPB leaves a horseshoe of hair around the sides and back of the head.  I know that hair is generally not lost from this part of the scalp, but does it typically thin out a bit over time?  The reason I ask is that my head stays smooth a lot longer than it used to.  When I first started shaving, it would be getting sandpapery by about 3 or 4 pm.  Now I'm generally still pretty smooth at 10:00 or 11:00 at  night.  The next morning's stubble is about what I used to have at the end of the work day.

I first noticed the change several months ago when I switched back to blade shaving.  I'd been using an electric razor for about a year due to some skin issues which have since cleared up.  At first I thought the difference was due to the blade providing a closer shave than the electric, but several months down the line, I'm still getting longer lasting shaves -- not that I'm complaining!     The only reasons I can think of is that my shaving technique has improved dramatically (doubtful) or there isn't as much hair in my horseshoe area as there used to be. 

I'd say it's technique. My horseshoe is as thick as ever.... just much more gray.

I think it is possible. Ive seen older gentlemen with the horse shoe thing, but as it has become white, it looks very very fine, like candy floss.

I've seen some guys in latter stages MPB with pretty thin horseshoes. So it's definitely possible!

It tastes of sweet sweet sugar, candy floss/cotton candy/fairy floss that is, not the hair of elderly men!

Thanks for clarifying.   

I understand that it never thins out that much. I base this upon once seeing a TV doco years ago on a new surgical technique where, to cure [yes, totally cure] MPB they simple removed the bald part of the scalp and rejoined the hairy sides at the top of the head.

On the show it took 3 operations with several weeks in between each to do it as it takes some time for the haired scalp to stretch enough to be able to join at the top of the head.

The result was a full head of permanent hair. Be a bit funny though if your ears ended up up near the top of your skull -- although they didn't in the doco. At the time I thought "that would be a much better idea than a hair transplant". Mentioned it to my old barber once and he just said "bit drastic".

Bit drastic indeed!

And I guess that the operations never really worked that well or looked that natural because after seeing the doco I've never heard any more about it. I mean, if it was really successful they'd be doing it instead of hair transplants wouldn't they?