Balding

In the balding male, does the thinning always start at the hairline or crown?  I am concerned about me possibly going bald but have not noticed any changes in my hairline (photographic comparison over past 5 years) nor have I noticed any areas on my scalp that are thinner than the others.  My hair seems to be diffusely thinning all over, but the hair on the top is all equally thin, no area on top appears thinner than the others.  Can total baldness progress this way or does it always follow the pattern of recession that begins at the temples and crown and eventually meet in the center?

Thanks!

[blastphamus]

Forgot to mention my age, which is 25 years old.  I've also added some pics below:  

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/imranshakir/1.jpg
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/imranshakir/2.jpg

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi.

There is female and male pattern baldness which appears to be influenced by the waxing and waning of the androgenic hormones as we age. Male pattern baldness usually starts over the crown and is associated with a receding hairline. This they would term as the vertex and bitemporal regions of hair loss. In women, the loss is usually limited over the crown. Pattern loss may be seen as early as in the 30's in men and later in women.

Hair loss may be due to an underlying scalp problem also. Seborrheic dermatitis and fungal infections may present with a well demarcated or diffuse loss of hair. Discoid lupus erythematosus  may also cause hair loss in more localized areas.

Do the males in your family experience hair loss? There may be a genetic factor involved here.