male pattern baldness prevalence by country/race

[GoldenMane]

I think everyone here is aware that not all races/nationalities bald equally. Obviously, the prevalence of the male pattern baldness gene varies a lot gepgraphically, and has become more fixed in certain populations than others.

I'm living in Japan at the moment, and it's very rare to see men in their 20s or 30s with noticable hair loss. It's quite common among older men, but it doesn't appear to kick in until late 40s or 50s here. Most people my age or even 10 years older tend to be NW1 or NW1.5.

In my native Ireland when I went home last month, I noticed that among my circle of friends and former classmates I encountered, now in their late 20s, male pattern baldness is very common. I'd say a god 30-40% had noticable recession or crown loss, occasionally quite advanced hair loss. Of course the majority didn't, but a large minority did. I've noticed a simlar prevalence in England.

Among Americans I know, the prevalence seems to be a bit lower, but still much higher than among Japanese men.

I've also read that the male pattern baldness gene is almost non existent among native American tribes. I don't recall ever seeing a bald native American!]
Among certain ethnic groups it seems very high on the other hand.

Has anyone else noticed these national/racial variations? I wonder is it purely down to genetics or whether environmental factors aren't also to blame?

Has anyob

 

[DontWant2BeBald]

Definitely True i think its rate has gone down more since different races starting mixing so much in the last 150 or so years. Before this I think it was alot more common amongst french people

 

[GoldenMane]

Yeah I think there's definitely some truth in that, that mixed race people tend to have lower rates of male pattern baldness. Actually genetic diversity really helps to reduced rates of all genetic diseases.

I'm quite curious to hear what people think of the prevalence rates in other countries. Anecdotally I've noticed on here that quite a lot of people from India/Palistan and the middle east also seem to experience male pattern baldness quite young. I haven't noticed many people of African descent though, maybe it's just that black people are more likely to shave their heads/it's less of an issue since they look better bald than white/asian people.

 

[hair_nag]

It might be a combination of environmental and genetic factors.

Western Eurasia (europe, middle east and north africa) seems to have the higher percentage of men with male pattern baldness and all these regions have a common cultural/lifestyle origin in the neolithic revolution. Perhaps the grain and animal product heavy diet and sedentary lifestyle that came with neolithic revolution in western Eurasia is at least partially responsible. Although it could also simply be the fact that regions in Western Eurasia are genetically related and derive from comparatively recent common ancestral population, when comparing to eastern Asia, native americans and sub Saharan Africans.

 

[GoldenMane]

My thoughts exactly. I would say there is a higher prevalence of male pattern baldness in western Europe, middle east, India/Pakistan, significantly lower, or delayed in East Asians, Pacific islanders, Maori (ever see a bald Maori?) etc and native Americans (who are at least partially descended from east Asians and Pacific Islanders). In truth I don't think environmental factors are a huge factor. East Asians have arguably much more stressful lives than Europeans, much more pressure at a younger age, but still don't seem to suffer from male pattern baldness until much later in life, and in lower numbers. It could be a more active lifestyle or better diet is a factor, I know they're related to longer telomere length. Mostly though I would say it is probably genetic, the caucasoid group tends to have it rough when it comes to hair loss. I'm not so sure about Africans though, it's difficult to tell, many shave their heads, but whether it's due to preference or male pattern baldness I#m not really sure

 

[Armando Jose]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25532463
Hair density and hair thickness of known nonbalding scalp regions showed some differences depending on the severity and the BASP subtypes in East Asian people with male pattern baldness.


It is posiible that hair type have a role in this issue, hair density and hair thickness. People in Japan have a special scalp hair....

 

[SayifDoit]

Isnt there some correlation with forming of facial hair and male pattern baldness? That's why I'd imagine you see a lot of Asians dont experience male pattern baldness early in life because most of them don't have any facial hair until later in life. Its the same my family to lesser degree, some of my brothers went through puberty later and only started to develop facial hair in their 20's, like a thin puberty moustache. Africans and African american seem to experience severe male pattern baldness and even the women experience it, which is strange.

You're really ****ing unlucky if you have early male pattern baldness and Asian lol.

 

[GoldenMane]

I could only read the abstract, what do you mean people in Japan have a special scalp hair, and what are these BASP subtypes? L, M, C, and U? What are these exactly?

I don't think facial hair growth is a great indicator of male pattern baldness susceptability, I have **** facial hair, still a NW2 who experienced drastic thinning between mid and late 20s though.

Yeah, it must really such to be East Asian and lose your hair so young. I mean at least for the rest of us, we can walk around town and city other people our age in the same predicament, but if you're a bald or balding 20 something Japanese or Korean dude... You've got to be the only one for miles...

 

[Rudolphus]

It is a well-established fact that male pattern baldness is significantly more prevalent in Caucasians than any other race. It is a lot less common in Blacks, East Asians, Polynesians and Mexicans, and is virtually non-existent in Native Americans and Inuits (Eskimos). The explanation for this ethnic difference is, in my opinion, entirely due to genetics. It has nothing to do with nutrition, diet or lifestyle. The simple fact is that Caucasians have the genes that code for follicular sensitivity to androgens, whereas Native Americans have the genes that code for follicular resistance to androgens.

 

[GoldenMane]

Is it really less common among black men though? I see loads of bald black men, I just can't tell if it's male pattern baldness or if they are choosing to shave for fashion reasons. Even among caucasians tehre seems to be quite a variation, as don'twanttobebald said, it's perhaps decreasing in some populations, maybe due to immigration or mixing.

 

[resu]

Amerindians have the thickest hair on the planet but if you notice it isn't shinny like the superior European hair, it's matte, can't have it all.

 

[GoldenMane]

Shiny is overrated, I'd trade. I guess if I find a native American wife, that means there is almost zero chance of having a son with male pattern baldness then...

 

[SayifDoit]

Is it really less common among black men though? I see loads of bald black men, I just can't tell if it's male pattern baldness or if they are choosing to shave for fashion reasons. Even among caucasians tehre seems to be quite a variation, as don'twanttobebald said, it's perhaps decreasing in some populations, maybe due to immigration or mixing.

Yeah I think it is extremely prevalent in black people, more so than white people also more aggressive. I think its BS white people are worse off than black people for male pattern baldness.
Weird to see you back goldenmane.

 

[GoldenMane]

I never really left, I just lurked a bit more. For a while I was just really happy with my results, but living in Japan and seeing everyone my age or 10 years older as an NW1 has made me less satisfied with my results. If you're self conscious about your hairline then east asia is not a good place to be, lots of bald people here, but it's an aging population and most of them in their 50s/60s. It seems Europeans and Africans (as well as Arabs and Indians) are just unfortunate that it affects us at a younger age.

I'm still curious as to the regional variation within Europe though. There probably is significant variation from Scandinavia, the British Isles, north west continental Europe, Iberia and mediterranean Europe.

 

[Nadester]

Being a receding indian ill say it has its roots in genetics but id say the diet DURING puberty years is the most important factor IMO.One i think of is milk and the dietary supplements COULD be the culprit.They come from cows who are mostly given hormones and meds for better and faster milk yeild.Correct me if im wrong.
As for the asians as in japan and china, its all the rice and soy they eat and chew i think.I can bet on this one as one won't see a receding asian teen in asia.It could be they have a diet change during puberty or are leaving in different parts of the world.

 

[GoldenMane]

I don't think it's milk. I work in a Japanese school, and every day the kids get a carton of milk with their lunch, teachers too. The idea that they don't consume dairy is a myth, they drink milk every day, eat yoghurt and ice cream too. Indians I assume also consume a lot of rice, so I don't think that's a factor. I'm almost certain that it's not diet, though it may be that western food does have more hormones in it, or that east asian kids do a lot more sports so are a lot more active...

 

[Nadester]

So why are we teens balding faster then ever??

 

[GoldenMane]

That's what I want to know... Or if in fact they are balding faster than before. Maybe it was always the case, but just wasn't documented....

 

[shreyaskini]

because our ancestors weren't having poisonous food like we do They had veggies which didn't have any chemicals in it. Thats why in the past even if they did go bald it was quite late. I still remember when my grandpa used to talk to me about the food they had and how tasty and healthy it was. That maybe the reason why he lived for 90yrs and was a NW1 till the end! I'm not saying that food is the major reason for balding but it definitely has a role to play in hairloss.

 

[Armando Jose]

I could only read the abstract, what do you mean people in Japan have a special scalp hair, and what are these BASP subtypes? L, M, C, and U? What are these exactly?

http://openi.nlm.nih.gov/imgs/512/122/3412231/3412231_ad-24-243-g003.png