Is baldness in your DNA?
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Scientists haven't identified all of the genes that contribute to male-pattern baldness. But Hair DX says the DNA test is the first to analyze a gene known to be strongly associated with the condition: the androgen receptor.
No independent research has been done on the accuracy of the Hair DX test itself, which has been offered since January, though studies have shown that men who have certain variants of the androgen receptor gene are at higher risk for male-pattern baldness.
"It's not 100 percent . . . [but] this is a great marker," said Andy Goren, Hair DX's chief executive.
The test costs $149. It involves taking a swab of cells from inside the cheek and sending it to Hair DX headquarters in Irvine, Calif. The company says results come back in three to four weeks.
Bosley Medical, one of the nation's big hair-restoration businesses, began offering the test at its Chicago office on Michigan Avenue last month. It's also available online at www.hairdx.com.
"Lots of people use fancy soaps and lotions to prevent hair loss, but, if it's not really in the cards for them, they can bypass this," said Dr. William Yates, a Bosley Medical Chicago physician who started going bald in his 20s.
Men who test positive for the hair-loss gene variant can start exploring their treatment options early, which can lead to better results, Yates said. Those options include medications such as Rogaine and Propecia, which slow or stop hair loss, and surgical hair transplants.
Dr. Kevin Pinski, a Chicago dermatologist, said that medication works better when it's used early -- to prevent hair loss rather than to try to regrow lost hair.
Still, Pinski said: "Even if you have this 60 percent chance of baldness or thinning, we don't know what degree that's going to amount to. To me, it's tough to make the argument to put someone on treatment for the rest of their life, with some expense and very minimal side effects, without knowing they're going to continue to progress."
A month's supply of Rogaine, sold generically as minoxidil, costs about $30. Propecia, whose generic name is finasteride, is more costly and, for a small percentage of men, can affect sexual function.
Critics also have questioned the reliability of a test that only looks for one of what could be several genes linked to hair loss.
Yates' response: "It's better than guessing by looking at my grandfather."
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