Topic: Baldness genes found.

[Nemesis]

Link to full article

Researchers at McGill University, King's College London and GlaxoSmithKline Inc. have identified two genetic variants in caucasians that together produce an astounding sevenfold increase the risk of male pattern baldness. Their results will be published Oct. 12 in the journal Nature Genetics.

About a third of all men are affected by male pattern baldness by age 45. The condition's social and economic impact is considerable: expenditures for hair transplantation in the United States alone exceeded $115 million (U.S.) in 2007, while global revenues for medical therapy for male-pattern baldness recently surpassed $405 million. Male pattern baldness is the most common form of baldness, where hair is lost in a well-defined pattern beginning above both temples, and results in a distinctive M-shaped hairline. Estimates suggest more than 80 per cent of cases are hereditary.

This study was conducted by Dr. Vincent Mooser of GlaxoSmithKline, Dr. Brent Richards of McGill University's Faculty of Medicine and the affiliated Jewish General Hospital (and formerly of King's College), and Dr. Tim Spector of King's College. Along with colleagues in Iceland, Switzerland and the Netherlands, the researchers conducted a genome-wide association study of 1,125 caucasian men who had been assessed for male pattern baldness. They found two previously unknown genetic variants on chromosome 20 that substantially increased the risk of male pattern baldness. They then confirmed these findings in an additional 1,650 caucasian men.

I'm not worried about this but some of you might find it of personal interest.

[Centurus]

I don't have to worry.  I'm not a white guy.   

[Nemesis]

I don't have to worry.  I'm not a white guy.   

I'm not worried either. I have hair like my father and his father before him.  Based on that history I should develop a small bald spot sometime in my late 70s  (maybe 80's as it seems to be later in each generation). 

[Lieutenant_Q]

I'm a white guy who has baldness running in the family, but I could care less.  When it starts to fall out, I'll simply shave it all.

[Brush Wolf]

Baldness doesn't run on either side of my family. Grey hair though does which for me started showing up about 20 years ago. I am not going to dye it and if someone doesn't like it they can go to blazes for all I care.

[Nemesis]

I have friends who began going gray at 19 and who by their behaviour invited teasing.  Their attempts to tease me back failed on two counts, 1/ I don't care 2/ My fathers side who I take after in the hair department doesn't get significantly grey until shortly before they begin to bald, namely in their late 70s. 

Naturally they try and claim that they are going gray for a common reason, namely me.  Of course it isn't my fault.   

[Corbomite]

I don't have to worry.  I'm not a white guy.   

I'm not worried either. I have hair like my father and his father before him.  Based on that history I should develop a small bald spot sometime in my late 70s  (maybe 80's as it seems to be later in each generation). 

Actually you should be looking at your mother's father as the gene is transmitted by female offspring. I'm getting a little thin in places. I always figured I'd just shave my head if it got to look too bad. Unless they come up with a one time treatment that doesn't involve any kind of surgery and lasts the rest of your life, I'm not interested.

[Nemesis]

Actually you should be looking at your mother's father as the gene is transmitted by female offspring. I'm getting a little thin in places. I always figured I'd just shave my head if it got to look too bad. Unless they come up with a one time treatment that doesn't involve any kind of surgery and lasts the rest of your life, I'm not interested.

I'm not concerned with it either way and outside of her two brothers (the elder of whom died in his 50' as did her father) I don't have any real examples from that side of the family.  All I can see is that I have been following the same pattern set on my fathers side.

Personally if I go gray or bald I really don't care.  For some reason my not caring bothers my friends almost as much as their balding and graying.  I have very strange friends I think. 

[Centurus]

I got my first gray hair when I was around 11 or 12.  I have alot more gray hair now, but it's not noticeable unless you look, but I do have it.

My father had a full head of hair till the day he died, except for the year before he died when he tried to dye his hair and left the dye in all night, and as a result he had a couple bald patches on the back of his hair that grew back stone white.

On my mother's side, my grandfather was bald, and was going bald by the time he was in his mid 20s.  And my uncle, on my mother's side, is also bald.  He started going bald around his mid to late 20s.  In his 30s, he was noticeably bald.

However, my brother and I have all our hair.  My brother will be celebrating his 41st birthday next month, and he hasn't even suffered thining of the hair.  I'm 26 and have alot of hair, with no indication of balding at all.

[Corbomite]

Sounds like you won the gene lottery! 

[Centurus]

Sounds like you won the gene lottery! 

Who me?  Only when it comes to hair.  When I was still going to college, regardless if my hair was long or short, all the girls in the Theater Department always hated me cause of my hair cause it's thick, shines, and also has body and curls on its own cause it's not straight, but not curly, but wavy.  And some of them would always run their fingers through my hair.

In the looks and equipment department, I got royally screwed.  The only other person I can think of that got screwed by their religion is Achmed The Dead Terrorist.  But he's funny, so it all works out.

[Just plain old Punisher]

Old grey hair ain't what she used to be...

[Centurus]

Old grey hair ain't what she used to be...

*does a ho down*

[toasty0]

Sheesh! Go cure cancer or MS or something like that. Spending money to discover a gene for baldness is plain stoopid.

[Dracho]

Commercial medicine..

Although, the money from the cure for baldness could be put into R&D for something important.   33% of the male population is a large number and therefore a lucrative market.

[Nemesis]

Sheesh! Go cure cancer or MS or something like that. Spending money to discover a gene for baldness is plain stoopid.

Not really.  Too many people researching the same thing means lots of duplication of effort and therefore waste.  Research like this may not be life saving but it still provides information about what a little more of the genome does and perhaps in time the how and why that makes it work.  The more of the bits  and pieces are understood the easier it becomes to understand other bits and pieces that may be life saving.

[marstone]

Sheesh! Go cure cancer or MS or something like that. Spending money to discover a gene for baldness is plain stoopid.

Not really.  Too many people researching the same thing means lots of duplication of effort and therefore waste.  Research like this may not be life saving but it still provides information about what a little more of the genome does and perhaps in time the how and why that makes it work.  The more of the bits  and pieces are understood the easier it becomes to understand other bits and pieces that may be life saving.

I have to agree with Nemesis on this.  This research seems unimportant to those who still have hair (still have mine and I be 40 so should be good to go).  But the information on the genes and how they function can be extrapolated to other genes being researched so this study could actually help out on cancer research in the long run.  (among many other things).

[Soreyes]

Looks in the mirror. <Sigh> to late for me. 

[Nemesis]

I have to agree with Nemesis on this.  This research seems unimportant to those who still have hair (still have mine and I be 40 so should be good to go).  But the information on the genes and how they function can be extrapolated to other genes being researched so this study could actually help out on cancer research in the long run.  (among many other things).

Knowledge rarely goes to waste.  Sometimes even failed research can open up new areas. 

As an example there was a chemical experiment that was supposed to result in a gas (I think for refrigeration) and the result was a liquid.  One of the researchers instead of just scrapping the failure opened the tank and started to study the sludge inside, that sludge is now called Teflon.  If the one guy hadn't "wasted his time" looking at it a valuable chemical would have been missed.

Consider the classic incandescent bulb.  In developing it they didn't target one type of material they tried a great many, some of them even silly things but with each test they learned a little more.  Finally they learned enough to find the right material to use.   If they had targeted just one material the odds are they would never have found the right one to use.

Looks in the mirror. <Sigh> to late for me. 

Maybe not.  Knowing the genes leads to the potential to learn how to control them.  Learn to turn them on and to turn them off.  I'd love to see it lead to medicated creams that you can apply to areas of skin and either cause hair to grow or not grow.  You would get your "long hippy hair" and I'd never need to shave again. 

[Panzergranate]

Well they've always known that it is the mother that passes on the baldness genes, so if the maternal father is bald, therefore the male grandchildren of the maternal grandfather will be bald.

And any physician will tell you something that they've known for ince before Roman times, baldness is caused by excess testosterone production cause, in turn, by large than average genitalia.... which is why women reckon that bald men make better lovers.... they're better equiped.

[Nemesis]

And any physician will tell you something that they've known for ince before Roman times, baldness is caused by excess testosterone production cause, in turn, by large than average genitalia.... which is why women reckon that bald men make better lovers.... they're better equiped.

I'll have to consult TheJudge on that, around here I suspect he is the only one with the experience to say whether you are B.S.ing because you are bald and covering up your "inadequacies" or not. 

[Roychipoqua_Mace]

Well they've always known that it is the mother that passes on the baldness genes, so if the maternal father is bald, therefore the male grandchildren of the maternal grandfather will be bald.

And any physician will tell you something that they've known for ince before Roman times, baldness is caused by excess testosterone production cause, in turn, by large than average genitalia.... which is why women reckon that bald men make better lovers.... they're better equiped.

Oh boy, wait until they find a way to alter those genes.

[Centurus]

Well they've always known that it is the mother that passes on the baldness genes, so if the maternal father is bald, therefore the male grandchildren of the maternal grandfather will be bald.

I'm living proof that statement is false.  My brother and I both have our hair, and our mother's father was bald.

[marstone]

Well they've always known that it is the mother that passes on the baldness genes, so if the maternal father is bald, therefore the male grandchildren of the maternal grandfather will be bald.

I'm living proof that statement is false.  My brother and I both have our hair, and our mother's father was bald.

well, not totally prove it false, it isn't that if your mothers dad was bald you would be, it is you have a greater chance of it.

My father is the only one of 4 boys not to go bald, so it isn't a given.

[Centurus]

Well they've always known that it is the mother that passes on the baldness genes, so if the maternal father is bald, therefore the male grandchildren of the maternal grandfather will be bald.

I'm living proof that statement is false.  My brother and I both have our hair, and our mother's father was bald.

well, not totally prove it false, it isn't that if your mothers dad was bald you would be, it is you have a greater chance of it.

My father is the only one of 4 boys not to go bald, so it isn't a given.

*smacks marstone with a rubber chicken and turns him into Boy George*  I know that.  I was giving Panzer a hard time.  *smacks marstone again and turns him back to normal*

[marstone]

Well they've always known that it is the mother that passes on the baldness genes, so if the maternal father is bald, therefore the male grandchildren of the maternal grandfather will be bald.

I'm living proof that statement is false.  My brother and I both have our hair, and our mother's father was bald.

well, not totally prove it false, it isn't that if your mothers dad was bald you would be, it is you have a greater chance of it.

My father is the only one of 4 boys not to go bald, so it isn't a given.

*smacks marstone with a rubber chicken and turns him into Boy George*  I know that.  I was giving Panzer a hard time.  *smacks marstone again and turns him back to normal*

LOL sure pick on the poor bald guys.  Not like the sunburn on the top of their head isn't bad anough.

[Panzergranate]

The other cause is headboards.... through working out with a girl too near the top of the bed.

Anyhow, a real man doesn't do anything he doesn't have to.... and hell would freeze over before he does.

[Nemesis]

LOL sure pick on the poor bald guys.  Not like the sunburn on the top of their head isn't bad anough.

If you bald guys weren't always blinding us with the glare we wouldn't be annoyed enough to pick on you.  You may be bald but you're making the rest of us blind.  At least thats what I tell my brother-in-law. 

[Centurus]

Now that's just cruel.  Granted, I show pictures of Janet Reno and Bea Arthur on the beach in thong bikinis to people, and even make them look at Bob Dole dancing in a thong....wait, where was I going with this?

Oh yeah!!!  Nevermind, I'm cruel too.

[Nemesis]

Now that's just cruel.  Granted, I show pictures of Janet Reno and Bea Arthur on the beach in thong bikinis to people, and even make them look at Bob Dole dancing in a thong....wait, where was I going with this?

Oh yeah!!!  Nevermind, I'm cruel too.

Being a Klingon, cruel comes with the territory.

[Sirgod]

One thing that is kinda surprising me, is that , well, you know I am the furthest from being vain by any means. I would go to a black  tie affair wearing my over alls, and not feel out of place at all. Heck I would probably break into a Jerry Clower skit and make new friends there.

But the baldness is one thing, Hell I have the high and tight haircut since I was about 12.

But man, having the uhm... other hair go grey bothers me for some reason. Not sure why, Hell I'm married so I rarely have to look down there anyways, But it does kinda get to me.

Stephen

[Centurus]

One thing that is kinda surprising me, is that , well, you know I am the furthest from being vain by any means. I would go to a black  tie affair wearing my over alls, and not feel out of place at all. Heck I would probably break into a Jerry Clower skit and make new friends there.

But the baldness is one thing, Hell I have the high and tight haircut since I was about 12.

But man, having the uhm... other hair go grey bothers me for some reason. Not sure why, Hell I'm married so I rarely have to look down there anyways, But it does kinda get to me.

Stephen

When it goes gray, dye it out.  Or shave.

[toasty0]

I always say "Grey Lasts Longer"

[Age]

It is to late for me aswell Soreyes although I do have lots of peach fuzz.We could do what William Shatner does or has done but that costs lot of $$$.I wouldn't complain about being gray as that can be dyed which I would  rather trade for strange though is by beard comes in thick and goes gray.It also grows fast like my hair use to.

It is just pain having to wear hat all the time from the elements rain,snow and even sun.I am always wearing a ball cap.

[TheJudge]

DId someone say my name in this thread?

As for baldness, I'd say women (and gay men) are probably attracted more to it as a phallic symbol more than anything (at least that's what I've told my husband since he began his chemo treatments). 


Hope that was calm enough since this ain't H&S.

[Centurus]

DId someone say my name in this thread?

As for baldness, I'd say women (and gay men) are probably attracted more to it as a phallic symbol more than anything (at least that's what I've told my husband since he began his chemo treatments). 


Hope that was calm enough since this ain't H&S.

*walks in naked from the shower and sends people running in horror*

You were saying?

[Nemesis]

DId someone say my name in this thread?

As for baldness, I'd say women (and gay men) are probably attracted more to it as a phallic symbol more than anything (at least that's what I've told my husband since he began his chemo treatments). 


Hope that was calm enough since this ain't H&S.

*walks in naked from the shower and sends people running in horror*

You were saying?

Hmm.  I thought human males all had external genitals.   There must be exceptions. 

DId someone say my name in this thread?

As for baldness, I'd say women (and gay men) are probably attracted more to it as a phallic symbol more than anything (at least that's what I've told my husband since he began his chemo treatments). 

Hope that was calm enough since this ain't H&S.

The symbol not necessarily the reality.  Must lead to a lot of disappointments.  (looks back at Centurus, yes it really must). 

[Centurus]

What can I say?  God short changed me in that department.  Key emphasis, SHORT!!

Not like I haven't admitted that before.

[Age]

You guys are really digging down there aren't you .

[Centurus]

You guys are really digging down there aren't you .

No, we started down there, and just keep going lower without digging.  It's one of our specialties.   

[Nemesis]

You guys are really digging down there aren't you .

Just revving up for Halloween.

[Centurus]

You guys are really digging down there aren't you .

Just revving up for Halloween.

Not me.  I'm always this screwed up.  Or hasn't anyone noticed.

[Nemesis]

You guys are really digging down there aren't you .

Just revving up for Halloween.

Not me.  I'm always this screwed up.  Or hasn't anyone noticed.

I was referring to the rest of us. 

[Centurus]

You guys are really digging down there aren't you .

Just revving up for Halloween.

Not me.  I'm always this screwed up.  Or hasn't anyone noticed.

I was referring to the rest of us. 

Ahhhh.  Keep revving.  You've got alot of catching up to do.  :-D  *dresses up like Baby Herman and smokes a cigar*

[Nemesis]

I was referring to the rest of us. 

Ahhhh.  Keep revving.  You've got alot of catching up to do.  :-D  *dresses up like Baby Herman and smokes a cigar*

Not to be offensive but I DON'T want to catch up to you

[Centurus]

I was referring to the rest of us. 

Ahhhh.  Keep revving.  You've got alot of catching up to do.  :-D  *dresses up like Baby Herman and smokes a cigar*

Not to be offensive but I DON'T want to catch up to you

 

[Nemesis]

Maybe not.  Knowing the genes leads to the potential to learn how to control them.  Learn to turn them on and to turn them off.  I'd love to see it lead to medicated creams that you can apply to areas of skin and either cause hair to grow or not grow.  You would get your "long hippy hair" and I'd never need to shave again. 

A year or so back researchers found the protein that causes this and an enzyme that neutralizes it.  In theory the cream I mentioned could be marketed.   Interestingly they could also market the opposite cream with the protein as a hair inhibitor, the ladies wouldn't need to shave their legs and those like myself who don't like to shave but also prefer not to be bearded could use it facially. 

My now ex brother-in-law did end up shaving his head to pretend it is a fashion statement,  My best friend who no longer lives close to me so doesn't get to blame me is now totally silver haired.  Me?  My hairline has gone up a bit but no bald spot and I do have scattered grey hairs but can't be called grey haired.  Still following my fathers pattern so even getting a minor bald spot is years away.  I'm also significantly older to the men on my mothers side going grey and bald and 2 of those 3 died younger than I currently am.

So you bald guys there is hope for you to get your hair back though it might be grey.  For the rest of us there is hope for a substitute for shaving.