Baldness and Human Genetic Factors: Can the Risks Be Tested?

When it comes to hair loss associated with the patient's genetic predisposition, the doctor is most often powerless to radically change the situation and, prescribing supportive treatment, sighs – Now, if the patient turned before he lost half his hair and spent a lot of energy on useless procedures, it would be quite possible to stop the process. Today, geneticists have developed a test to determine a person's genetic factors that can cause early hair loss. How such genetic tests work, our portal understood.

How to determine the characteristics of human genetic factors

In the DNA of any person, certain genes are encoded – carriers of information transmitted by inheritance. All people have the same number of genes – approximately 20 thousand, their totality makes up the human genome. At the same time, 99.9% of our DNA is the same, and only 0.1% is responsible for all the differences that make each of us unique – hair color, eye color, predisposition to certain diseases, phenotypic characteristics.

The structural modifications of the genome that make us unique are called "polymorphisms". The study of the patient's polymorphisms can provide the doctor with information on the basis of which individual preventive programs are developed, including in relation to the tendency to hair loss

Human genes do not change during life, but having information about them, you can adjust your actions, thereby changing gene expression.

The main causes of hair loss associated with human genetic factors:

Androgenetic alopecia	Diffuse alopecia
Hormonal disorders	Stress, hormonal disorders, acute infectious and severe chronic diseases, diets with a lack of vital elements for the body

The causes of androgenetic alopecia lie at the gene level and consist in a damaging effect on the hair follicles of the active form of the testosterone hormone – dihydrotestosterone, formed under the influence of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase, located in the hair follicles. Dihydrotestosterone, penetrating into the cells of the follicles, causes dystrophy of the latter and, accordingly, dystrophy of the hair they produce. The hair on the head remains, but it becomes thin, short, colorless (vellus hair) and can no longer cover the scalp – baldness is formed. 10-12 years after the onset of alopecia, the mouths of the follicles are overgrown with connective tissue, and they can no longer even produce vellus hair.

In the female body, testosterone and 5-alpha reductase are also present, so the development of androgenetic alopecia in women is basically the same as in men, differing mainly in the clinical picture.

The sensitivity of hair follicles to dihydrotestosterone depends mostly on the set of human genes, that is, it is determined by heredity. The ability to diagnose the disease at an early stage, as well as timely treatment, provides an easier course of the disease or, in some cases, can completely prevent the development of baldness.

Testing human genetic factors that determine predisposition to hair loss

In the genetic test "Trichology" genetic markers associated with the development of androgenetic and diffuse alopecia are analyzed, on the basis of which a trichologist can select effective drugs and the duration of intensive and anti-relapse therapy

Markers	Name	Activity
AR A2 EDA2R	Androgen receptor Ectodysplasin receptor	Androgen receptor activation
SOD2 GPX1	Superoxide dismutase 2 Glutathione peroxidase 1	Oxidative stress
TNF	Tumor necrosis factor	Activation of micro-inflammations
MTHFR FUT2 VDR	Folic acid Vitamin B12 Vitamin D	Vitamin metabolism

Conducting a study to identify the degree of genetic risk allows you to achieve the following:

• identify androgenetic alopecia before the first or minimal symptoms appear;
• choose the optimal treatment regimen and patient management tactics.

The diagnosis of androgenetic alopecia relies mainly on the development of a characteristic pattern of hair loss and thinning, however, a number of studies have shown that visible hair thinning does not occur until hair loss in visible areas reaches 50%.

Treatment of patients with androgenetic alopecia with drugs according to the schemes that take into account the degree of genetic risk significantly increases the therapeutic effect.

How to use human genetic factor test results for alopecia

As a result of genetic testing, the trichologist receives a report describing the individual characteristics of his patient and the methodology for developing an individual correction program that includes aesthetic procedures, home care products and the necessary biologically active additives. The report includes the results of genetic analysis and information about the studied parameters, as well as recommendations for home and professional care, including:

• necessary active ingredients of cosmetics;
• professional care procedures;
• recommendations on the use of special techniques;
• recommendations for home care;
• methods of activating or reducing the activity of existing changes in the genetic profile.

The conclusion of genetic testing includes a summary of the results of the study for all sections and an example of an individual program, taking into account the age of the patient.

See also: Cryomassage of the scalp for complex treatment of trichological diseases