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  1. #1
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    Nov 2010
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    Default Hair Genetics - Where does it come from?

    Okay, so I have a question about hair genetics.

    I've always heard that your hair genetics are based on your mother's father, but after reading around that's apparently wrong? So is it based on your father? Or is it just simply... unpredictable?

    I'm curious, because, my uncle (he married my aunt... my mum's sister) through marriage started to lose his hair when he was in his 50's. He's now 70, and he's bald. His eldest son, who I think is about 38, has thinned a bit up top, but he has enough hair on his head to more or less cover up the thinned bit, and if you saw him in the street you wouldn't consider him bald. In fact, the majority of his hair is thick and dark. His second eldest son has a full head of thick, dark hair, no thinning or recession. However, around his temples the hair is turning grey. But no hair loss. He's 36. My uncles third son (again, with dark hair), who is nearly 30, his hair has thinned out a lot on top, far more than his eldest brother. Then my uncles youngest son, who is 23 has a full head of coarse, curly, dark blonde hair.

    My grandfather had thinned a bit at the front, but he had enough at the front to part his hair over to the side, before he passed away aged 79.

    My two other male cousins, who had a different grandfather, both have a full head of hair, and they're in their 40's.

    So I just don't understand how hair genetics works.

    Can anyone explain? Or is it just too unpredictable, and nobody knows?

  2. #2
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    Default

    My mother's father had a full head of hair well into his 70s, and all her male relatives look like James Dean. My dad was fully bald early on. I'm 24 now and moving into a Norwood 3. I used to think about how unfair it was for me to not get my mother's genes, but in reality, I guess I should be thankful to have as much hair as I do now.

  3. #3
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    Default

    So to answer your question, I think it's probably just unpredictable. I'm almost certainly going to develop my father's pattern, but so far it's happening much slower (fingers crossed) than his ever did.

  4. #4
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    Default

    I've always wondered about this myself. Gene expression is differant in every individual. I started early (like 17, 18) but am still a fairly solid N3 at 32 and have been for years. Other relatives of mine who were similar were full blown N6-7 by mid twenties. If you are slower than your father, chances are you will do well on meds. By the time you have to consider their limits, they may be something else in terms of treatment.

  5. #5
    Doctor Representative mattj's Avatar
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    Default

    It's all very unpredictable and currently poorly understood. Basically I think the fewer balding family members you have the greater the chance you have of keeping your hair, but even that doesn't always seem to follow.

    I hope we get a better understanding of it soon, but I prefer if the effort is put into a cure.
    I am a patient and representative of Dr Rahal

    My FUE With Dr Rahal - Awesome Hairline Result

    I can be contacted for advice: matt@rahalhairline.com

  6. #6
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    Default

    My dads side is bald, my mums has great hair.
    My older brother is bald.
    Im on propecia incase I go bald.

    Now if it was really from your mums side both my cousins would be bald (dads sisters)
    But their dads have great hair and so do they.

    Thanks dad.... :/

  7. #7
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    The more bald people in your family the more likely you are to go bald. Pretty much what we know for now.

  8. #8
    Senior Member baldozer's Avatar
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    I know a guy whose maternal uncles and grandfather are bald, but not only he but all his brothers have no hair loss because their father has no hair loss.

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