I think everyone's overlooking the fact that before the idea of stem cell therapy came along I don't think anyone even really considered a cure was really do able. So really the reason everyone thought the cure was so close 10 - 15 years ago was an understandable consequence of the emergence of the sudden possibility of stem cell therapy (and regenerative medicine) being realised as a technology.
Of course it turned out to be a bit more complex than everyone thought, but scientific progress is a one way road and an ever accelerating one. Look at the rate that studies are coming out at now, it's getting ridiculous. It's seems pretty obvious to me at this point we're going to have multiple effective cures pretty much at the same time, stuff we're all talking about, stuff no ones really talking about (siRNAing out the androgen receptors anyone?), and stuff that will be total blue sky.
I love the twisted irony of thinking about guys sitting here in 10 years quoting this post, but in reality I think it's also pretty obvious, when you look at the emerging science, it more probable than not that anyone under the age of about 60 will most likely never even die of old age, let alone die bald.
