Can your eventual hairloss pattern be diagonosed in advance?

[mahhong]

Hey there guys,

 

Just wanted to ask a question about whether it's possible to preempt how much hair you're eventually going to lose?

 

The reason I ask is because I've started to lose my hair. Hairloss runs in both sides of my family so it's no surprise, but on both sides of my family it's quite different. On my dad's side it's sort of like somewhere between a Norwood 5a and 6. My Dad has hair on top but it's diffuse. He lost hair around his hairline so he has that typical frontal protrusion of his hairline still remaining but his temples and the sides of his hairline have almost completely gone. He also has a pretty big bald spot on his crown but his hair around the back and sides remains and is still quite high (certainly on his sides, higher than a typical Norwood 6). The hair on the very top of his head remains but has thinned diffusely and is probably miniaturized now as well (can't really see as he shaves it). I'd estimate it looks about 25-30% as dense as his "donor region".

 

My Grandad on my Mum's side, however, is a definite Norwood 7. My Grandad on my Dad's side is actually less bald than my Dad but has the same pattern of loss.

 

Anyway is there a way to forecast how you will bald scientifically? I know you couldn't show an exact forecast of your hair, but can doctors look at you aged 27 and know whether you'll be a Norwood 5a or a 7 by the time you're 50?

 

My hunch at the moment is that I am taking after my Dad. I have thinned diffusely like my Dad (I have thick hair on my head so it doesn't notice that badly yet) and I have also receded at temples and crown like my Dad. My back and sides, however, are still very thick and very high with no sign of thinning (compared to my crown/vertex and hairline).

 

Does this diffusion of the top of my hair combined with no visible diffusion/miniaturization mean I have a good chance of being a Norwood 5a, or at 27 is it still too early to tell? For the record I always remember my Dad being bald on his crown and his receding hairline (which, as a child, I lovingly dubbed his "Mr. T" - I remember him saying "you'll be sorry one day son", if only I knew!).

 

If I'm a Norwood 5a like my Dad I'd be happy. My hair is incredibly thick and seemingly dense and I would hazard a guess I could get very good results. If it's like my Granddad on my Mother's side then that's different and much more worrisome! I have no idea how my Granddad on my Mother's side went bald except to say by the time he was late 40's he was totally Norwood 7. I would also say my Dad's hair is thinner than mine and my hair is textured a bit more like my Granddad on my Mother's side used to be (thicker and wavier) - could these be factors? From old photos, however, my Granddad on my Mum's side didn't look like a diffuse thinner. He seemed to have a full head of hair at 25-30 and the next pictures I can find it's gone!

 

Anyway is there a way to scientifically measure what's going on upstairs and make a prediction on how your baldness will progress?

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

Unfortunetly, there is no exact science in determining who will inherit their family hair loss genes and who will not. It can come from one side or the other and often is some kind of combination. There are a few diagnostic tests available that can help predict those who are likely to have advanced hair loss. (Hair Dx is one that I can think of off hand)

[mahhong]

Hi Dr. Charles,

 

Thanks for your response! What about the actual pattern of hair loss, is there any way of determining that with any degree of certainty? I'm fairly certain I'm going to lose my hair but I'd like to know to what extent I'm likely to lose it if that's possible.

 

I know you couldn't get an accurate diagnosis of eventual hair loss but I just wondered whether a doctor would be able to determine whether you're heading for Norwood 5a or Norwood 7 for example, or whether that kind of diagnosis is simply not possible.

 

I'll look in to Hair Dx, however, so thanks for pointing that out to me as I had never heard of it!

[azn_guy]

mahhjong, check out http://www.baldingblog.com

 

Dr. Rassman is a big promoter of "miniaturization mapping test"

 

He likes to use this to help predict MPB on a specific individual.

 

While some HT doctors are not a fan of this method due to MPB being unpredictable, I personally think it can't hurt to have this done.

[mmhce]

Dr. Charles above is correct.