Dr Rushton was lecturing on hair loss in Argentina but Dr Norris was available.The first thing to note is that though both have doctorates neither is a medical doctor. Nothing was said about testosterone but a lot was said about nutrition. It turns out that our mothers were right when they told us that our hair would fall out if we didn't eat properly. But it is a long way from needing an iron supplement to inventing a new breed of women who are not in control of their testosterone levels.The catalyst for the Testosterone Tess story was this survey at the School of Pharmacy. I decided to contact its authors, who were listed as consultant trichologist Dr Hugh Rushton and Dr Michael Norris. Some see them as glorified hairdressers, others see them as knowing more about hair loss than any doctor. The trichologist has a lot more time to listen than a GP - but of course he is being paid pounds 65 for doing so.

In my case he proposed a course of treatment aimed at stimulating the hair follicles. Remember when they said that Indira Gandhi and Mrs Thatcher had more male hormones?" asks Ms Miles. "It's another `get back in your box' scare."This is where I would disagree. I know from personal experience that many career women do lose their hair and that an increasing number have sought help from the curious breed of expert called trichologists.

Nor was Professor Lisa Jardine whose immediate response to the whole idea was "rubbish". There is a long and undistinguished history of pseudo-scientific myths that seek to persuade women that they must pay a high price if they insist on working in a man's world "It's a scare tactic. The medical experts who believe this are rather difficult to find. Nor does there appear to be any known syndrome called "testosterone overload". The study quoted in all the stories - conducted by the School of Pharmacy at the University of Portsmouth - turns out to be quite different in some respects.

There is a real possibility that Testosterone Tess simply does not exist.Author Rosalind Miles is not surprised at this. The result is that she has started to look a bit like Demi Moore in GI Jane. But Demi shaved off her hair while our new heroine is just plain losing hers. The Sunday Times knows that there are "thousands" of Tesses out there who suffer from the syndrome "caused by taking on traditionally male roles in the workplace" The Daily Mail also knows the problem well.

She is young, successful and so stressed that her hormones have gone a little wonky. In fact, things are so bad that she has developed something called "testosterone overload". At Blackheath there is the duo of Andy Sheppard and Steve Lodder Free music in the foyers of the RFH, QEH, and Barbican.. Women who work in a man's world risk developing a hormonal imbalance that leads to baldness and deeper voices, suggests new research It's hair-raising stuff Ann Treneman gets to the root of the problem. There is a new woman in the workplace whom you may have met over the past few weeks.