Can a Blood Test Determine Genetic Hair Loss?

Hi,
I’ve been having some pretty severe anxiety over potential hair loss over the past few months. I went to my primary care doctor, barber, and mother who have told me that I just have fine, blonde hair and a high forehead. I specifically asked if there was any receding or balding, and each said no. Hoping to get closure,n I went to a dermatologist that I randomly found on the internet. This dermatologist has only been in practice for two years, so I’m a little skeptical when he said I had early hair loss by running his fingers through my hair a few times.

That’s where this blog comes in. I feel you’re a pretty trustworthy source of information, and hopefully you can help. My primary doctor actually did bloodwork, specifically DHT and testosterone, and they came back fine. This dermatologist almost disregarded the blood test and said he saw things as a dermatologist that no other doctor would see. Now I’m not sure what to think. So I have to questions.

1. Can a blood test determine genetic hair loss?

2. Is it possible that I just have fine, light hair? It’s darker and a bit thicker around the sides, but my maternal grandfather has the same hairline and fine hair as I do, just looks a but thinner as his is gray.

It may also be of note that this dermatologist said I had mild hair loss, and then was somewhat eager to prescribe Propecia. He also assured me that once on Propecia, it would not stop working and I would be fine and keep what I had for the rest of my life.

Sorry for the long inquiry, but hopefully you can set me straight. Thank you in advance.

A blood test can determine a “probability” for genetic hair loss based upon your carrying of the gene, but carrying it does not mean that it will be expressed. More importantly, any good doctor can tell you if you have genetic hair loss without a blood test by simply mapping out your hair for miniaturization, which shows genetic effects well before the naked eye will show it.

Yes, it is just possible to have fine, light hair or just a high forehead that may look like hair loss. In any case this seems to bother you. If you want to find out more, see a hair transplant doctor who can see your hair under a microscope to see evidence of some pattern of balding.