genes and hair loss
It’s All In Your Genes 
Genes and genetics are words that are used with abandon and most people have a feel for the subject, in as much as, they appreciate that genes are something that they inherit from their parents which affects their body functions or gives them a predisposition to various conditions or diseases. 

When you consult your doctor about any illnesses, one of the earliest things he genes and hair loss normally checks for, is a family history of the disease. Without doubt, the genes that we inherit from our lineage are the very foundation of who and what we are. These genes are the basic ‘building plans’ of our bodies. 

When we are conceived, a sperm from our father combines with an egg from mother; each of which carries genetic information on thin thread like substances called chromosomes. The chromosomes contain all the genes and combine to produce the genetic plan for the offspring which are contained in DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid). 

The genetic blueprint contained in the DNA controls the cells rapid division, function, dispersion and specialisation into a foetus which becomes a baby. 

There is a ‘battle’ as the chromosomes from each parent combine between the genes, some being dominant and others recessive, which produces a higgledy piggledy genetic blueprint for the offspring, hence we inherit different characteristics from mother and father. This is why the DNA ‘fingerprint’ is such a valuable forensic technique - it is virtually unique and incapable of being forged. 

Baby has his father’s eyes, his mother’s chin and so on. 

Empirical evidence suggests that if your father was bald, then you are likely to have a higher probability of being bald yourself, than if your father had hair. This probability increases if your mother’s father was bald, which implies an inherited or genetic predisposition to go bald. However, as we look into this a little deeper, it turns out to be far from a simple proposition. Note that we are talking ‘tendencies’ and not ‘certainties’. There are some genes that if they are carried by mum, are guaranteed to be in their male offspring, haemophilia is a well known one, for example. 

A series of headlines have appeared in the media over the years which imply that a scientist somewhere in thc world has found the illusive baldness gene and that magically all our hair loss worries are over. The articles usually state that this breakthrough means that we have moved nearer a solution to baldness. What is nearer the truth, is that some interesting developments are taking place and a few genes have been isolated that may bring a clearer understanding to the true cause of certain types of hair loss, We are however a very long way off of a commercial solution to baldness that is genetically based. 

To date the model for hair loss has been one of excessive androgens causing follicle shrinkage, hence antiandrogens have been the route forward. What the genetic research is uncovering however, is that the immune system is also actively involved. 

Two interesting areas of research currently going on in the world overlap, in that one is homing in on genes actions in hair loss and another is perfecting delivery of a genetic modifier to the follicle (once it has been found) 

The two areas of advancement genetically are that 

1. A gene has been isolated that causes a form of baldness where there is a complete lack of any body, scalp or face hair at all: The Hairless Gene. 

2. The same researcher has isolated a gene in mice that effects both their immune system and hair loss. The same gene has been found to be mutated in a human too, so the goal is the modify the mutated gene and see if it will switch back on her hair growth. At the time of writing this ‘switch back’ had not happened. 

The delivery vehicle was first tested on Mice and now has successfully been tested on humans. Briefly genetic material has been delivered to follicles that change the hairs colour to blue, but does not effect the surrounding skin. Apart from its obvious use to try to develop a solution to grey hair, this research will help when the illusive hair genes do turn up as it is a way of delivering a genetic modifier to the follicle. 

Summary 
  • There does appear to be a genetic predisposition to hair loss 
  • No single gene has yet been found to cause male pattern baldness or female pattern baldness 
  • American researchers have found one gene responsible for a rare form of complete baldness.
  • American researchers have also found a gene linking hair loss and the immune system and hope to be able to modify this gene shortly - believing that it will reverse hair loss 
  • American researchers also have found a delivery system for the illusive gene when it turns up.

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