I'm a 24 year old male with worryingly thin hair. Could I still be balding if I have no family history of such? (Photo)

Question

I've only noticed in the last year or so that my hair has started showing cracks on top(mainly the front sides, but a little at the crown also. My father and his father both have full heads of hair, and so does my mother's father. Is it possible I still lost at the genetic lottery even though I have no family history of balding? Pictures attached.

Jeff Rapaport, MD · Answer

Yes it is possible for you to have Androgenic Alopecia. However, you should go for an evaluation from a hair expert for a firm diagnosis. Blood tests and skin biopsy are often helpful.Hope this helps

Toby Mayer, MD · Answer

Hair loss in males without a family history of baldness is indeed possible and is seen frequently. The baldness is always progressive and does not stop. The only treatment I have seen in more than 35 years that give significant hair regrowth in the crown is Propecia.

Parsa Mohebi, MD, FISHRS · Answer

Yes, You may!

It is unlikely that no one else is bald in family of someone with male patterned baldness but it can happen.  In most case if these patients dig deeper they can find someone in last generations.  Balding gene an skip some generations.

Hair loss with no significant family history should stimulate the doctor to search more aggressively for other causes of hair loss beside genetic male patterned hair loss.

Bessam Farjo, MBChB · Answer

The short answer is sadly yes and likely someone higher up your family tree has passed this onyour photos and age make you an excellent candidate for medical treatment of propecia or rogaune or maybe even both

Jeff Donovan, MD, PhD · Answer

The answer to your question is yes. Absolutely. Of course it is not common. In order to determine 100% if you have genetic hair loss, it would make sense to see a physician who specializes in hair.  Whenever I discuss the genetics of male balding ... I am reminded of two studies:In a study of 572 men ages 16-91, young men with a balding father had a 5.5 times increased risk of balding than young men who did not have a balding father.In another study, only 1 of the sons of 50 non balding men had Hamilton Norwood type III balding or worse. In contrast, 32 of 54 (60 %) of sons whose fathers were bald had Hamilton Norwood scale type III baldness or greater. Clearly, having a father with balding greatly increases the chance a given male with develop male pattern baldness. However, it is important to keep in mind that having a father or grandfather with "good hair" does not completely eliminate the risk!ReferencesBirch  MP Eur J Dermatol 2001; 11-16Ellis JA. J Inv Dermatol 1998 110: 849-53

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

I would recommend that you see an expert in the hair field to get a diagnosis and the recommend a series of treatments to get it under control

I'm a 24 year old male with worryingly thin hair. Could I still be balding if I have no family history of such? (Photo)

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