I’ve heard several times that your receding hairline comes from your mother’s side. This is not good news for me because my mother’s side- my grandfather and uncle, great-grandfather, etc. all lost their hair starting at very young age- my uncle was pretty darn bald before he turned 30!
While I still have a good amount of time to start worrying (I’m almost 17) I’d still like to know the straight dope. My limited knowledge of genetics says that none of your traits necessarily come from any side. If I was imbred, OTOH, I probably would get it. Correct? Is hair loss a dominant trait, in which case I’m screwed?
Male pattern baldness comes from either side. If your father is carrying the gene, you can tell by looking at his head. If your mother is carrying it (probability varies depending on whether, besides her father, some of those bald uncles etc are on her mother’s side), her hair might be somewhat thin.
If she is homozygous (has the gene from both sides; her hair would be thin), you’re doomed. If your father has hair and she is heterozygous, your chances are 50-50.
If she is homozygous for no-baldness, and your father has hair, you are fine.
Bald male heads are sexy, and so are male heads of healthy hair.