{"id":2792,"date":"2019-12-03T02:25:07","date_gmt":"2019-12-03T02:25:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/biol2013h-2019\/?p=2792"},"modified":"2019-12-03T15:15:43","modified_gmt":"2019-12-03T15:15:43","slug":"the-baldness-blog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/biol2013h-2019\/the-baldness-blog\/","title":{"rendered":"The Baldness Blog"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Baldness Blog<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genetic Testing for Male Pattern Baldness<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Joshua Baker<\/p>\n\n\n\n

December 2nd, 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Men these days are\njudged ever increasingly more by their appearance; we need to be fit, handsome,\nwell-dressed, and well-groomed. If we fail in any of these categories, we are\ninstantly judged to be inferior. These are all important things to take care of,\nbut perhaps no other physical characteristic exceeds the challenges posed by\none\u2019s own head of hair. Yes, it is our luscious locks that drive men to\ninsanity about their appearance. But the insanity doesn\u2019t set in until the hair\nfollicles begin to fall out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are talking about male pattern baldness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From thinning hair to a receding hair line, the condition can be devastating to a man\u2019s self esteem and may even be linked to certain health conditions other than balding! With so much on the line, is there any way of predicting if you will develop male pattern baldness? And if so, is it even worth it? We will explore these questions and more in this blog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHAT IS MALE PATTERN BALDNESS?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Male pattern baldness is an inherited condition that\nresults in the loss of significant amounts of head hair follicles. Symptoms\ninclude thinning hair, patchy bald spots, and a receding hair line1<\/sup>.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a 2017 study by Hagenaars and colleagues, male pattern baldness affects as much as 80% of men by the time they reach 80 years old. The dramatic and unstoppable change associated with this condition is often depressing and difficult to watch for many men, not to mention its damage to their perceived social attractiveness. The same 2017 study also found 112 autosomal genes as well as 13 genes located on the X chromosome that all are associated with male pattern baldness. Several of the autosomal genes are related to hair follicle growth while the most common X chromosome gene codes for androgen reception2<\/sup>. The genes linked with male pattern baldness naturally make sense. Because the condition concerns the loss of hair follicles, genes that cause male pattern baldness to develop must have some role in hair development. Furthermore, the fact that the androgen receptor gene is correlated with baldness raises the question that some hormonal process must be involved, which explains the sudden change that occurs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Above is a man with moderate male pattern baldness. Notice the thinning hair and the bald spot1<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

WHY GET TESTED?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since male pattern baldness is such a prevalent and unavoidable condition, why would one want to get genetically tested for it? If it is going to happen, then it will happen, right? For many, the emotional trauma of suddenly losing his hair is awful. But early-onset male baldness has been linked with several particularly nasty diseases, including prostate cancer and Parkinson\u2019s disease3<\/sup>. As a result, getting tested early can provide relative peace-of-mind for those labeled as \u201clow risk\u201d and provide those labeled as \u201chigh risk\u201d with plenty of time to prepare and start preventative measures, like prostate exams or even looking into alternatives to balding, like hair transplants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since there is such a massive number of genes and alleles\nthat appear to cause male pattern baldness, it would perhaps be best to get a\ngenome-wide sequencing test in order to detect as many of the potential\nvariations as possible. This type of test typically runs around $1,5004<\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the most common alleles, it would be cheaper\nsimply to test those specific genes. These tests cost approximately $220 for\nthe entire gene, but for more than just one, it becomes more cost-effective to\ndo the whole genome sequencing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The previously mentioned 2017 study found a much\nhigher frequency of certain variations of an X chromosome gene in men with\nearly-onset balding than with late-onset. Therefore, it is possible to\ngenetically test for the risk of developing early-onset male pattern baldness.\nIn a 2012 study by Li and colleagues,Parkinson\u2019s and early-onset male pattern baldness were found to\nbe linked by one specific allele on chromosome 175<\/sup>.Getting tested\nmay be worth it for both the peace-of-mind of keeping one\u2019s hair and not\ndeveloping Parkinson\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THINK BEFORE YOU\nSPIT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A genetic test, unfortunately, is not exactly a\ncrystal ball. Simply having the genetic variations associated with male pattern\nbaldness is not enough to declare that a subject will become bald. Only 51.9%\nof the variation in the human population with respect to baldness can be\nexplained by the genetic variants found the Hagenaars et al study2<\/sup>.\nSome factors that may affect baldness outside of genes include weight, stress,\nchemotherapy treatment, and even simply getting older1<\/sup>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, there may be even more variations that\nhave not been detected yet. Research on the genetics of male pattern baldness\nis still relatively lacking3<\/sup>, so the potential for more (or even\nfewer) variants that cause balding is possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ETHICAL\nCONSIDERATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Testing as a \u201chigh risk\u201d candidate for balding will\nbe terribly worrying for any man placed in such a situation. Given the possible\ncorrelations with various diseases, it would be hard not to stress over the\ntest\u2019s findings. Ignoring the potential for disease, even losing one\u2019s hair, a\nsymbol of one\u2019s male identity, fills many with dread about future social and\nphysical decline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, there appear to be no major or common\nconcerns for genetic privacy. Few companies would discriminate against an\nemployee given his genetic propensity for balding, save those of the\nentertainment and modeling industry. As a result, few men should worry if\ngetting tested for male pattern baldness might damage his prospects for future\nemployment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are other downsides, though, to consider.  Given the cost and potential for inaccuracy\nin predicting risk of developing male pattern baldness, it may not be worth the\n$1,500 to sequence one\u2019s entire genome. However, there is an added bonus. Once\na genome has been sequenced, it will be available in its entirety for further\nanalysis of other potential diseases, like risks for certain cancers. Even if\nthe balding prediction does not hold true, having the option to also check for\nthose awful diseases might just be worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ASKING THE RIGHT\nQUESTIONS BEFORE THE TEST<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to determine if genetic testing is right\nfor you, here are some important questions to consider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n