How to know if I could lose hair after T? (FTM)

[Guest Kadaj]

This is a thing which scares me a lot...

My father is 52 and luckily he has the hair.

This could mean I will not lose my hair?

How can I know If I could lose hair?

Thank you

[JJ]

The hair loss gene is carried only on the female side-in other words whether your dad has hair or not will not make any difference but if your mother's father or other male relatives of hers lost their hair or not would be an indication of what may happen to you.

Some people say we are somewhat more prone to hair loss than the cis population but I have never seen any stats on it -just observations and opinions. I do know that your hairline will likely go up. Most males have a higher hairline and it tends to recede some with age. I know my hairline is inches higher and it scared and worried me at first till I looked at old pics of my grandfather and great grandfather on my mother's side and realized my hairline has come to look like theirs when they were in their 40s and 50s. It seems to have stabilized lately too. My hair is less thick but my barber mentioned how unusually thick it is-and she thought I was in my 40s at the time so I guess it is just my perception from it being so short. The texture changes-but then it also turned white so that may be why.

And over time the things that matter a great deal now tend to matter less and less as male socialization overrides the female feelings about hair and appearance. At least for me. I'm glad I didn't go bald-it might have nearly been a deal breaker for me back when I decided to transition. Now I wouldn't like it but it wouldn't be the end of the world either.

Johnny

[VickySGV]

What does or did your grandfather on your mother's side look like?? Women carry the baldness gene from their father to their offspring, which is where my son got caught. It activates in the presence of Testosterone which is why some natal women CAN go bald after menopause sets in and they have high T for a woman. So-- look to mom's dad, and choose your hormones with care.

[Guest Kadaj]

My mother's father had hair. (Is dead)

I've seen pictures and I asked to my mum.

Do I have to look to someone else from my mum's family?

Why do transgender people are more prone to lose hair than cisgender people?

[VickySGV]

From what you say, you will retain your hair -- for the most part -- on T. My grandfather had his hair, and so do I except for a couple of areas around my temples. I have a gallery picture showing the small area I am missing, but as old as I am many women have the same hair issue. On T, your hair will be a slightly different texture and tend to get dirty faster because of oils in your male skin, but you have been spared the greater losses SOME people have.

I don't know that Trans* people have any greater level of Male Pattern Baldness than the rest of the Cis population, but hair, or lack of it, is a distinguishing characteristic of the genders, and we are tuned to gender markers pretty heavily, so it is just more in our thought patterns. My son gets a chuckle out of seeing himself with a full head of hair as a child, and then showing off his grand-dad's hair pattern with a shrug and an "OH Well!"

[JJ]

It is not proven that we do lose more hair. Some people have said they think so but we are so small in numbers that no studies have been done. In fact across the board very few studies of anything related to transmen has been done. Studies are driven by numbers and money and we generate neither unfortunately.

Those who say we do lose hair more also say it stops if we lower the dose after initial masculinization.

Johnny

[Guest Nicodeme]

It's not necessarily true that the baldness gene is carried only through the mother. However, if both of your grandfathers kept most/all of their hair and your dad kept his hair, then whatever hair you lose shouldn't be much beyond just the shape of your hairline changing.

[Ravin]

Actually, the most common genes for male pattern baldness are on the x chromosome, so if you're XX, the genes from both your parents play a role.

For me, my dad kept his hair, so I'm good there. My maternal grandfather was quite bald (combover!), so if my mom gave me his gene, it could be trouble. But I don't know what sort of baldness gene she has from her maternal line, as I've never seen pictures of her maternal grandfather or uncles. If it's not a baldness mutation, I've got a fifty-fifty chance of keeping my hair. If it is, or if I get maternal grandpa's gene, it still likely won't be as bad as his, because it's a shared dominance gene, so both genes have influence as one or the other, randomly, is shut down in each cell of the body.

http://www.m.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20050527/blame-male-pattern-baldness-on-mom