If you could find out if and when you were likely to go bald, would you want to know? A new DNA test has been developed in the lab that is going to give anyone who wants it the power to look into their future (or at least the future of their hair.)
Dr. Alan Bauman, a board-certified hair restoration physician at Bauman Medical Group in Boca Raton, Florida said "This is exciting because it's the first lab test for hair loss."
The test involves nothing more than a saliva swab which is then taken back to the laboratory where the DNA is analysed. What the Researchers are looking for is a variation on the X chromosome which is directly linked to hair loss.
The test reveals whether you are at high or low risk of losing your hair. If you are at low risk then you have an 80% risk of keeping hold of your hair by the time you’re 60. If you are at high risk then there is a 60% chance of severe hair loss by the time you are 40.
One hundred million Americans have hair loss - which is about 60 million men and 40 million women, and the interest in a test such as this will be popular across the globe. Dr Baumen believes the test will be a positive step for many people, claiming: "This just gives another piece of information, and then you decide with your doctor what you want to do."
Drugs such as finasteride and minoxidil can help to slow down the progression of hair loss and promote hair growth. With the ability to know the future of your hair available to anyone for around $200, there is little doubt that the interest in preventative hair therapy will be more popular than ever.