Correlation Between Loss of Temple Peaks and Balding?

Doctors,

I have noticed that men with full heads of hair generally have full temple peaks as well. I mean the “pointy” area of hair truly over the temple. Like a temple widows peak. I have also noticed that balding/bald men seem to have lost these peaks on most occasions. My first question…is there a known correlation between the loss of these peaks and balding? It seems that since they appear to be in the permanent zone they would not fall out, but they certainly do. My second question is….if a man has a full head of hair, but has lost his temple peaks, can you assume he is on his way to balding?

Thank you.

Hair loss on the side temples (the triangle area) is not particularly related to male pattern baldness, but some men who bald have that issue. I have seen many patients with Class 6 or 7 patterns who still maintain their “pointy” youthful temple peaks and I wrote about it in an article published last year in the Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North America.

There is no connection between the disappearance of temple peaks and balding, as they are independently genetically programmed. Ronald Reagan lost a good deal of the temple peaks, but remained with a full head of hair into his 80s.