The genetics of hair loss

While hair loss and thinning hair are often a worry for men, it’s often their mothers who are blamed for their condition. But is there any truth behind the old myth that the genetic traits for baldness and thinning hair are passed down from mother to child? Not necessarily. When a child is born, he or she has a set of genes from both parents—those that determine eye color, hair color and other traits. The dominant gene will most often than not come through, but this depends on factors of farther down your family tree as well.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, genetic causes are to blame for hair loss in 30 million women in America, versus 50 million men. With the help of new technologies, researchers today are no longer looking only at single genes as being responsible for genetic traits such as hair loss, but at several genes at a time.
Determining whether mother or father is to blame isn’t really the issue—treating hair loss, no matter where it comes from, is the imperative. Our best advice is to seek medical attention if you believe your hair loss is more than just the result of a bit of stress. Your dermatologist can often determine what is causing your hair loss by reviewing your medical history (diet, exercise regimen, mental and emotional health). If needed, you can undergo a scalp biopsy—a routine office procedure.
The good news is that many of those who suffer from hair loss or thinning hair have not inherited it from anyone, which means there are things you can do to reverse the damage. Look closely at different factors including your lifestyle, what products you use on your hair and how you treat it.