vixstile

Does anyone have any information on whether you inherit balding genes from the males on your mothers side of the family, or is that just bunk?

I really hope I'm not going to go bald.

The Lone Ranger

Hair loss can be caused by many factors, including disease, poor nutrition, and stress. By far the most common cause in men is genetics. The genes that cause male pattern baldness can actually be inherited from either parent, as I recall. (Yes, if your mother's father had the genes, he could pass them on to your mother, who could, in turn, pass them on to you.)

Cheers,

Michael

Dr Rick

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA), also known as male-pattern baldness, is the most common type of hair loss in men. Published work suggesting that the trait was sex-linked inherited (passed maternally to males) was accepted for years until recent discoveries drew that conclusion into question. A re-examination of the study that established the seemingly straight-forward heritability of AGA made it obvious that the original research work was fraudulent; the researchers had padded the data.

As it now stands, the predisposing genes for AGA are unknown, and we do not understand the molecular steps involved in androgen-dependent beard growth versus androgen-dependent hair loss; it's still a mystery how bald men can grow beards and pubic hair.

Here's what we think we know: AGA is a polygenic (in other words, who the hell knows how it's inherited?) dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-dependent process that causes continuous miniaturization of sensitive hair follicles. Women are less likely to go bald if they inherit the causitive genes because they have much less testosterone (the precursor to DHT) than men.

If you're a male with lots of bald relatives, there's a pretty good chance you've got a predispositon to baldness, too.

All is not lost, however: there are interventions that can give you a fighting chance. The most powerful of these is finasteride, a specific oral DHT-blocker sold under the brand-names of Propecia and Proscar. Finasteride is approved by the FDA for the treatment of baldness and prostatic hypertrophy, but clinical studies suggest it is very effective in preventing these disorders from ever occuring

Another established baldness therapy is topical minoxidil, sold generically as well as under the brand-name Rogaine. It is only approved by the FDA for vertex (back of the head) AGA, but clinical studies suggest it might be effective in preventing or "holding the line" in AGA pre-disposed men.

There is some evidence that the combination of twice daily topical minoxidil and once daily oral finasteride 1 mg can preserve scalp hair in men predisposed to AGA; using these as preventatives might be much more effective than waiting for baldness to occur before starting therapy.

Ask your doctor. The above is not medical advice and should not be construed as such. It is merely a personal opinion and not a diagnosis or recommendation for treatment. Failure to seek medical attention for persistent and/or serious symptoms could lead to illness, disability, or even death that might have been preventable.

Finally, remember that some of the sexiest men alive, including Patrick Stewart, Sean Connery, and Bruce Willis are balding; it's not the hair that makes the man.

Rick

[ November 27, 2002: Message edited by: Dr Rick ]</p>

vixstile

I'm not really worried about not having a solid head of hair. I haven't let my hair grow longer than an half inch since I was 15. But I do like options.

[ November 27, 2002: Message edited by: vixstile ]</p>

cricket

And if any of those relatives are arrowman your cue ball noggin will be slicker than snot.

mrwitch

You know what I could never figure out, about baldness? How come it only happens on top of the head? How come we never have a receding chest-line? That would be interesting, walking down the beach and seeing some guy brushing all chest hairs from one side, to cover the thinning chest hairs in the middle. But on a more serious note: I see baldness as the next step in the evolution of humanity. It is believed, in another 20,000 or so years, we'll be a hairless society. But what is hair? what is it's purpose? Personal adornment? Maybe for insulation; because you never know how cold it is out, until you're as bald as I am. But my baldness really has nothing to with genes, or evolution's next step. No. My baldness is self inflicting. It's from standing on my head all the time, to give god and his followers a better angle to kiss me where the moon don't shine.