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More Hair Loss Genes Identified

Research projects for male pattern baldness have been increasing recently and they all seem to be focusing on locating genetic triggers which initiate the world’s most common type of baldness in men. Just recently the Universities of Bonn and Dusseldorf identified a group of seven gene variants all of which are directly linked to male pattern baldness. 

Finding the genes that trigger male pattern baldness not only opens up avenues of research in order to find remedies to stop the triggers from activating but also opens up the possibility of testing to see whether you have these genes at an early age, and therefore letting you know whether you will suffer from male pattern baldness in the future.

The researchers are finding that it is not just one simple gene that causes male pattern baldness but a number of interacting genetic triggers which increase the chances of the condition appearing. The process is extremely complicated and it will be many years, (if they do manage) before scientists will be able to develop something to prevent the genetic onset of male pattern baldness in men.

The researchers also noted that this research could be used to help people who suffer from deafness. The reason being is that the majority of hearing loss is due to the fact that mammals are unable to replace hair cells that have become damaged and which are essential for good hearing.

The only hair loss medication to have an effect on male pattern baldness at the genetic level is the drug Propecia made by the pharmaceutical company Merck.  Propecia works by preventing the build up of the compound of Dihydrotestosterone which occurs in the scalp in some men. The Dihydrotestosterone compound is a perfectly normal thing for men to have however it does cause male pattern baldness which is so distressing to some men.

Propecia is statistically the most effective drug to treat male pattern baldness in the world at present and is used by over 4 million men worldwide.

http://www.ukmedix.com/propecia/more_hair_loss_genes_identified4234.cfm

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Gene research identifies human hair loss genes

Seven gene variants linked to male-pattern baldness have been revealed at Bjorn and Dusseldorf University.

Aside from giving you time to prepare for the worst, and the faint possibility of curing those (distant) fears, further breakthroughs in this area could one day be used to cure deafness as well.

This is because most hearing loss is caused by the inability in mammals to replace damaged hair cells – this condition causes 90% of all hearing loss.

Scientists state that this research is at an extremely early stage however.

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help

Next Generation of Genetic Test For Baldness Unveiled By HairDX

Next Generation of Genetic Test For Baldness Unveiled By HairDXIRVINE, Calif.CA-HAIRDX

IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Pharmacogenomics research and development innovator PharmaGenoma, Inc. and its subsidiary HairDX, LLC (www.hairdx.com), today unveiled the next generation of its genetic screening test for male pattern baldness. The HairDX test is available immediately thru qualified physicians’ offices.

Using the HairDX test, a physician can tell a man who tests positive for the high risk genetic variant that he has approximately a 70% chance of going bald. Similarly, a physician can tell a man who tests negative for the high risk genetic variant that he has approximately a 70% chance of not going bald.

‘The next generation test report is based on a pooled data model from multiple peer reviewed studies of over 2,000 Caucasian men. The studies demonstrated the association between the genetic variants measured by the HairDX genetic screening test and the development of Androgenetic Alopecia in men,’ says Andy Goren, HairDX Chairman and Co-Founder.

In addition to the improved clinical validity and utility, the HairDX genetic test now includes genetic markers on the Androgen Receptor (AR) gene as well as on Chromosome 20.

“A recent study demonstrated that Propecia©, the only FDA approved oral prescription medication for the treatment of male pattern baldness, is effective at preventing hair loss over a period of several years. Doctors using the HairDX genetic screening test can offer a treatment plan to prevent hair loss in men of all ages before any visible signs of hair loss,” says Dr. Sharon Keene, Chief Medical Officer for HairDX and former Chairman of the Annual Scientific Committee of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgeons.

Visible signs of hair loss usually mean that a man has already lost up to 50% of their hair. Early detection via the HairDX genetic screening test provides an opportunity for intervention and treatment before it is too late.

The next generation screening test identifies approximately 70% of men that will benefit from early treatment. As with any screening test, some men will be identified for treatment even though they may not go bald. Confirmatory tests by a qualified physician will eliminate unnecessary treatment.

About HairDX, LLC

HairDX, LLC is a subsidiary of PharmaGenoma, Inc. Based in Irvine, CA, HairDX (www.hairdx.com) HairDX is an FDA registered pharmacogenomics research and development company. HairDX markets the first genetic test for male and female hair loss. The company is dedicated to the research and development of new prescription based therapies tailored to an individual’s genetic make up. HairDX uses only CLIA certified laboratories (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) to perform the genetic analysis.

Among HairDX leaders is William V. Murray former Division President of the Molecular Biology Division of Applied BioSystems, Inc., who formerly served in various executive leadership positions within Medtronic, Inc., Andy Goren former CEO of MobileWise, Inc. and GeePS, Inc., David Teckman, former CEO of Sutura, Inc, a medical device company, Professor Doron Lancet, PhD, Head of the Crown Human Genome Center at the Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Dr. Elon Pras, Director of the Institute of Human Genetics, Sheba Medical Center in Tel-Hashomer, Israel, Sharon Keene, MD and President and Medical Director of Physician’s Hair Institute, in Tucson, Arizona and nationally recognized for her pioneering work in the hair transplant field, and Elliott J. Stein, an intellectual property attorney and co-founder of GeePS, Inc.

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help

Genetic test for hair loss 2.0 arrives

As genomic science marches forward, the booming genetic testing industry has spawned a new and improved way for males to avert the agony of male pattern baldness. The folks at HairDX, the company that last January arrived first on the scene with a genetic test for baldness, say that the discovery of several new genetic markers for hair loss — on Chromosome 20 and in the Androgen Receptor gene –have allowed them to refine (think “new and improved!”) their services to men everywhere.

Androgenetic Alopecia, or male pattern baldness, is the most common form of baldness. By the age of 35, two-thirds of men have begun losing hair and by 50, 85% have lost an appreciable portion of their locks. A man’s risk of developing what the American Hair Loss Assn. calls “this emotionally devastating disorder” increases with age. And by the time a man notices that he is losing his hair, warn the purveyors of the new genetic test, baldness has already gained a solid foothold, with as much as 50% of one’s hair already gone.

Early detection is key, they add.

At a cost of $149, the new-generation HairDX genetic test will let physicians tell men whether they have a genetic variation that gives them a 70% probability of going bald. In the absence of this genetic variant, the news is a bit better: A man can expect, with 70% confidence, that he will not have a shiny head. That is a slightly higher level of prediction than could be had in HairDX’s first-generation hair loss genetic test, says a company spokesman.

The news of the Hair Loss 2.0 genetic test was greeted with some derision by certain nabobs of genetic negativism.

“When Congress appropriated the millions of dollars to sequence the human genome and to fund the successor project, their hopes and aspirations clearly were to find a solution to baldness, and Hallelujah, we’re only steps away,” said Kathy Hudson, director of the Center for Genetics and Public Policy at Johns Hopkins University. “Our work is done.”

Hudson did worry aloud about whether those who are at high risk of future comb-over — or who had been given warning but didn’t take action — could still be subject to employment discrimination. Now, there’s a public policy implication worth pondering.

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help

New Medical Breakthrough In The Treatment of Both Male and Female Hair Loss: Plant based Propecia

Biostim is Propecia, but without the side effects.
The most common form of hair loss is genetic. Androgenetic alopecia occurs in approximately 60% of men and 10% of women in the U.K. However, if you are a sufferer you do not have to simply live with it as your parents and grandparents may have had to. You can take an active step today and discover Biostim, the new, highly effective hair loss stabiliser and hair regrowth stimulant available directly from our laboratories.

Genetic Hair Loss

In men, androgenetic alopecia has a characteristic pattern of hair loss; it begins with a slight recession at the front hairline and is followed by thinning on the crown of the head.

In women, androgenetic alopecia is often linked to hormonal changes with the hair loss following events such as the menopause, childbirth or as a result of stopping or starting oral contraceptive pills. The hair loss is also generally more uniform over the scalp than in the male counterpart.

In both sexes, the hair loss results from a complex chemical reaction when the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase converts the testosterone in the system into DHT or dihydrotestosterone. The hair follicles are genetically predisposed to be oversensitive to the DHT and become smaller and smaller with time, leading to the eventual hair loss.

How does Biostim work?

Biostim is composed of a variety of different ingredients all of which either directly or indirectly benefit hair loss stabilisation and some of which stimulate hair growth. The 11 most important ingredients are as follows:

Contents

Sabal Serrulata Extract (Biogen)
Mono Propylene Glycol
Ceramide
Panthenol
Calcium Panthothenate (Vitamin B3)
Vitamin E
Vitamin A
Vitamin H (Biotin)
Vitamin H (P.A.B.A.)
Inositol (Vitamin B8)
Aqua

Description: A combination of naturally occurring 5-reductase inhibitors with added multivitamin complex for the stimulation of hair follicles suppressed by the action of Androgens in cases of androgenic alopecia.

Mode of Action: 5-reductase inhibitors act as anti-androgens, reducing the levels of di-hydroxy testosterone (DHT), decreasing the levels of androgen activity at the target site. The consequent reduced levels of DHT stabilise or reduce the level of atrophy of the hair follicle and shaft in the genetically determined areas in the treatment of androgenic alopecia. The hair growth period (anagen) is prolonged and promotes increased hair growth and density.

Clinical trials of the natural ingredients have established anti-androgen activity and the ability to suppress di-hydroxy testosterone (DHT) formation, beneficial in cases of androgenic alopecia. The increased dermal papilla activity increases hair cell production and proliferation, increases the number of hairs in the anagen phase and increases the A/T (anagen/telogen ration).

Biostim has been shown to be a strong inhibitor of 5-alpha reductase in the dermal papilla and to increase hair cell proliferation, particularly on hairs suppressed by androgenic activity. It is believed that the effect of the Biostim is to interfere with the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone and so there follows a positive response. Biostim is also a good natural source of oestrogen, this may also aid the ‘stimulating’ effect of the plant.

Another very important ingredient, which is derived from the vitamin B complex and is a powerful vasodilator, that is to say, it draws the blood to the surface of the skin in the area to which it is applied. The effect of this on the scalp is, firstly, to ‘shock’ any dormant hair follicles from the telogen (resting) phase into the anagen (growing) phase and, secondly, to generally increase the blood supply to the given area, allowing the metabolism to increase and the hair to receive more blood than would normally be the case.

Biostim has been formulated with an alcohol compound to carry the active materials to the target site with a minimum of loss into other scalp tissues.

Biostim also contains a highly effective anti-dandruff agent that clears the scalp of the dead skin cells and scale that would otherwise absorb much of the lotion and render it less effective.

Another major innovation with Biostim is the incorporation of PANTHANOL into the formulation. Panthanol is a natural constituent of healthy hair and so often included in shampoos and conditioners as it has an ability to penetrate into the cortex of the hair to reinforce the chemical bonds and strengthen the hair.

The panthanol used in Biostim is not diluted by water as when with shampoos and conditioners and so reaches the hair at the strength at which it is incorporated into the product; this is extremely important as the effectiveness of panthanol is directly proportional to the level reaching the cortex and therefore in Biostim it can have an outstanding effect on the strength of the hair.

Clinical trials prove that both male and female patients found Biostim reduced hair loss significantly and caused stabilisation within 3 months – all experienced significant hair regrowth between 6 to 12 months.

SERENOA REPENS / SAW PALMETTO

Serenoa repens is the medical name for the herb saw palmetto. Some studies have shown the saw palmetto may have the same effect as the drug finasteride in treating hair loss and prostate enlargement diseases. It has been suggested that both hair loss and prostate disease are related to the hormone DHT (Dihydrotesterone) which is formed when the enzyme 5-alpha reductase interacts with the male hormone testosterone.

Finasteride is marketed as Proscar (5mg finasteride) or propecia (1mg finasteride) by the Merck & Co. Both Proscar and Propecia are oral medication and has been approved by the FDA in the United States. Proscar is usually prescribed for people with benign prostate enlargement. Propecia was approved by the FDA in December 1997 as the first ever anti-baldness pill. Both Proscar and Propecia are available by prescription only.

Finasteride works as a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor. It reduces the amount of 5-alpha reductase in our body and thereby reduces the formation of DHT, which is the main cause for hair loss and prostate disease. DHT is formed when 5-alpha reductase interacts with the male hormone testosterone. DHT is a derivate of testosterone but is many times more potent. Hair follicles that are sensitive to DHT tend to fall off when exposed to the hormone.

Research has shown that the herb Saw Palmetto has the same effects as finasteride in treating patients with benign prostate enlargement. In fact, the herb is very popular and common in Germany and is available as an over-the-counter medication. There are many studies in Germany that confirm the effectiveness of saw Palmetto in treating patients with prostate disease.

Since both hair loss and prostate disease are related to DHT, many suggest that Saw Palmetto will also be effective in treating people with hair loss by reducing the amount of DHT in our body and around the hair follicles. Although there is no formal study or testing to confirm the effectiveness of Saw Palmetto in treating hair loss, many companies are already preparing topical hair lotions that are formulated with saw Palmetto.

Since women are CAUTIONED AGAINST using Propecia (1mg finasteride) due to potential side effects that may affect foetus development and cause birth defects, saw palmetto may seem to be a natural alternative for women who are suffering from hair loss. For men who are concerned of the potential side effects of Propecia (1mg finasteride), such as loss of sex drive and impotence as reported by 2% of te participants who took Propecia during clinical testing, saw palmetto is also the natural alternative. There are very few reported side effects of Saw Palmetto that have been documented.

http://www.thewestminsterpractice.com/medical_breakthrough.asp

Do you have Hair Loss Problems, read our Hair Loss Help