How much hair loss is "normal" and not a sign of balding in men?

[ringmastery]

Just curious. How many hairs do normal male humans lose every day when you comb your hair, take a shower?

I get paranoid as I get older about my hair balding when I take a shower or comb my hair and see a few hairs falling out, but so far no bald spots or anything. I guess this is just normal.

To bald DU'ers, when did you start losing your hair? How old were you? Did it come out in clumps or gradually?

Was your dad bald? Your grandfather? Who should I look at in my family history as I guide to see what my hair will be like as I get older?

[Lautremont]

1. Keep an eye on your parking lots.

That's the creeping-back areas over your temples. When you get too much free parking, you've had it.

The up side to it all: Turkish women refer to a bald pate as "the third buttock" and consider it very sexy.

I've still got my hair, but my worst fear is monkhead.

[Blue-Jay]

2. Don't know. Never lost any hair.

It's been going gray since I was about 21, however. I earned each and every one.

/old fart

[Systematic Chaos]

5. Mine started graying at 14!

I'm 35 now and my hair is salt-and-pepper with emphasis on the salt! But, at least it's still as thick as the last remaining 3 1/2 acres of Amazon rain forest! :)

[Waistdeep]

3. Look at your uncles on your mother's side

I'm pretty sure that the gene(s) for common male pattern baldness is carried on the X chromosome, so you should look at your mother's brothers for a clue to your genetic makeup.

[Mizmoon]

4. I think it's your mother's father

who sets the pattern.

Having dated a balding man once I think lots of hair on the pillow is a bad sign.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

6. If it starts to happen just shave your head

don't do all that desperate stuff. Just shave it. A lot of women find that VERY sexy!!! So try not to sweat it....