Hair loss. It’s one of the signatures of aging, especially for men. And for some of us, those hair follicles frolic right out of our lives even while we’re still relatively young. But does hair loss need to be as inevitable as death and taxes?

German and Finnish researchers decided to take a close look at the follicle stem cells that create new hair. Stem cells are essentially the body’s repair system. Among their other properties, they can fix damaged tissue.

In a study published in the journal Cell Metabolism, these scientists note that the body loses an astonishing 500 million cells every day and enough hair to total 1.5 grams. No worries. Those stem cells are working hard to replace what’s lost and keep your body functioning.

Sometimes, however, the metabolism of those busy bees gets fouled up, diminishing their function. This is part of the reason our bodies age — and a reason why we lose hair.

During the follicles’ regenerative cycle, after a new hair is created, their stem cells return to a dormant state. The study notes that a specific protein called RICTOR is required for the stem cells to do this. Scientists found, however, that when this protein is missing, the follicle stem cells slowly give out. And that means eventual hair loss.

But what is missing can be reintroduced to the body, right? That’s what researchers think might be possible. They say further research is needed to, among other things, determine if a drug therapy could reverse the RICTOR deficiency in these cells to prevent hair follicles from aging.

We might not be immortal, but at least we’d approach old age with a thicker head of hair.