The X or female chromosome carries the primary baldness gene, and men inherit this X chromosome from their mothers. This makes the hereditary factor around baldness most dominant on your mother's side.
One popular myth is that hair loss in men is passed down from the mother's side of the family while hair loss in women is passed down from the father's side; however, the truth is that the genes for hair loss and hair loss itself are actually passed down from both sides of the family.
“The genes for hair loss are actually inherited from both sides of the family, not just your mother or your father,” Adam Mamelak, MD, a dermatologist in Austin, Texas tells WebMD Connect to Care.
Baldness can of course skip generations! If you have bald relatives on both sides of your family tree the chances are high you will be too. However, if the baldness shows up only on one side, it's highly possible the MPB gene will skip not only you but also your siblings. This is how the recessive gene works.
Skipping a Generation: Myth or Fact
There is no scientific basis for the idea that baldness skip generations, regardless of any old wives tales you may have heard from the grapevine.
Men inherit the baldness gene from the X chromosome that they get from their mother. Female baldness is genetically inherited from either the mother's or father's side of the family. Baldness may be influenced by a number of other factors as well, including age, health, diet, hormones, seasonal changes and climate.
If your mom's dad is bald, then there's a high chance you'll go bald in the future. If your father is bald as well, then those chances go up even more! But even if baldness doesn't run in your mom's family, it's still possible you'll go bald.
Both of your parents give you two pieces of genetic information, called alleles, that determine what your hair type will be. The two alleles from your biological father combine with two alleles from your biological mother, giving you four in all.
And it is true: the hereditary factor is more dominant on the mother's side. If your dad has a full head of hair but your mom's brother is a 5 on the Norwood Scale at age 35, chances are you will follow your uncle's journey through MPB. However, the gene for MPB is actually passed down from both sides of the family.
All men inherit a Y chromosome from their father, which means all traits that are only found on the Y chromosome come from dad, not mom. The Supporting Evidence: Y-linked traits follow a clear paternal lineage.
Unlike nuclear DNA, which comes from both parents, mitochondrial DNA comes only from the mother.
At what age do people typically start to lose their hair? Hair loss can start as early as your teenage years or might not occur until you're well past retirement. Generally, people begin noticing signs of hair loss in their 30s and 40s. More significant hair loss often happens when people reach their 60s and beyond.
The most obvious signs are a thinning of the temples and hairline recession. Otherwise, the hair loss can be more widespread and balanced. This steady shedding is called “invisible baldness”, since the hair becomes gradually less dense until suddenly it is perceptible to the naked eye.
About 70% of men will lose hair as they get older. And 25% of bald men see first signs of hair loss before age 21. “Recent advances offer a lot of hope in both treating and preventing different types of baldness,” says dermatologist Amy Kassouf, MD.
Going back to the hormones theory, you may be wondering why all men don't experience hair loss if they all produce testosterone and therefore, create the same testosterone by-product. This is thought to be down to the fact that some men create more than others, and some have more receptors than others.
If you have a bald spot or a receding hairline, it's likely due to your genes. In 95 percent of cases, balding is due to androgenetic alopecia, more commonly known as male pattern baldness, which is a hereditary condition. It can affect men of all ages, and may even start before the age of 21.
However, it's possible to predict whether a man will lose hair with pretty good certainty. Most are fated to at least have their hair thin out. “Male pattern baldness affects around 80 percent of men by the age of 80 years,” the researchers wrote.
Sometimes men go against family traits and lose hair even if their male relatives don't. This may be due to the baldness gene skipping a generation or lifestyle choices switching the gene on. Male pattern baldness is due to hair follicles being sensitive to DHT which is a derivative of testosterone.
You might be able to reverse hair loss, or at least slow it. With some conditions, such as patchy hair loss (alopecia areata), hair may regrow without treatment within a year. Treatments for hair loss include medications and surgery.
If you want to prevent hair loss, you can also prioritize a diet high in healthy proteins, Omega-3 fatty acids, and fresh fruits and vegetables. If you're trying to prevent baldness, you can take vitamins such as iron, biotin, vitamin D, vitamin C, and zinc.
Male pattern hair loss progresses rapidly between the ages of 20-30. After the age of 30-35, shedding starts slowing down, as the levels of androgens in the blood start reducing. In older men with androgenetic alopecia, the hair loss slows down even more.
The hairline is only about one to 1.5 inches above your highest wrinkle. This is typically as far as a mature hairline will recede. If your hairline is about the width of your finger above the top wrinkle, you probably have a mature hairline. If it's receding onto your scalp, it may mean balding.
And while it is true that you get half of your genes from each parent, the genes from your father are more dominant, especially when it comes to your health.
Researchers have previously shown that a person's IQ is highly influenced by genetic factors, and have even identified certain genes that play a role. They've also shown that performance in school has genetic factors. But it's been unclear whether the same genes that influence IQ also influence grades and test scores.
Boys, on the other hand, only receive a Y chromosome from their father and an X chromosome from their mother. That means all of your son's X-linked genes and traits will come straight from mom.