Where Did My Hair Genes Come From?

Hi Doc, I am 34 and I have receded about an inch at the temples. By this age, my father was at a much further along in the balding process. My maternal grandfather receded but never went bald. I’m just trying to figure out who’s “hair” genes I might have inherited. If it was from my father, would my balding develop at the same age and at the same speed as him? Is the next most likely person to pass on the hair gene my maternal grandfather? I hope so!

I have answered this question many times, but I will briefly summarize again: genetic hair loss does not follow specific predictable patterns. Many have hypothesized and observed that male pattern hair loss is slightly more dependent on the mother’s side. In the end if you have the gene, you will go bald according to the genetic balding pattern you inherited. As there are probably many genes involved in the inherited pattern, until we can define those genes and quantify how many there are and how they work, we can not predict what may happen to you as you age and may bald. Someday, everyone will have their genes mapped out and with that mapping, we will be able to tell much about what will happen to us in the future, not just with regard to balding, but to predicting diseases like cancer in their earliest stage. I hope that this all unfolds in my lifetime, but clearly for the young man like you, I am sure that it will unfold in your lifetime and when your children ask this question, my replacement will answer it with precision.