Do People With The Same Balding Gene Go Bald At The Same Time And In The Same Way?

[Bigoldben]

I was looking through old family pictures and spotted that my older brother and my maternal grandfather went bald in a very similar way at almost identical times. I on the other hand show little or no signs of balding aged 21, or so I’m told, does that indicate that I’ve dodged the bullet so to speak? I’ve also inherited the thick black hair that runs down my fathers line right from his great grandfather to him, they all had black hair their whole lives.

Thanks very much

 

[Raphael13]

Really it's impossible to predict these things. I'm suspecting that I'm following my fathers pattern. The thing is I do not have any photos of him at his twenies, only at 35+ and he kept his hair longer at that period so it's impossible to see his hairline. But as I said, I'm suspecting I will take the same route as him. At least I hope, his a decent nw3 today.

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

I was looking through old family pictures and spotted that my older brother and my maternal grandfather went bald in a very similar way at almost identical times. I on the other hand show little or no signs of balding aged 21, or so I’m told, does that indicate that I’ve dodged the bullet so to speak? I’ve also inherited the thick black hair that runs down my fathers line right from his great grandfather to him, they all had black hair their whole lives.

Thanks very much

First of all there obviously isn't a single balding gene. You'll notice that people bald in different patterns, not just at different rates. It's also the case that people respond differently to minoxidil, differently to finasteride, and multiple genes and physiological mechanisms have been implicated. As such there isn't a "balding gene", it's due to a combination of factors.

Secondly, there was an identical twin study. Even among people with identical genes, there were small variations in baldness rate. Among other factors, smoking accelerates hair loss.

 

[MoBishop]

From my experience, nah. My father has a different pattern than me and started later. My half-brother from my mom's side has a more similar pattern that started later.

 

[Bigoldben]

Ah okay, did you find that you inherited different hair characteristics from different people or all from the same person?
As I’ve stated I have an almost uncannily similar hairline to my great-great grandfather and father as well as similar coloured hair and similar thickness as my father.

 

[doyle11]

Hairloss can be unpredictable and often doesn't follow a linear pattern. Just because your family only balded to norwood 3 it doesnt mean you are impervious to a norwood 5 seemingly from nowhere.

Male pattern baldness can be accelerated by physical/emotional trauma, steroids, and many other factors. I've had friends you would think would never bald lose their hair lose extremely quickly and vice versa.

About the only thing you can predict with certainty is that it will get worse. Always Stay vigilant