A: The difference is genetic with the inheritance coming from either side of the family.

Although a person will have the genes his/her whole life, a gene’s expression (also called phenotype) can be quite variable. The factors that cause this variability is still unknown.

A: At this time the genes that actually cause hair loss are still unknown.

However, there are two gene loci, recently identified, that appear to be associated with common baldness. The first is on the Androgen Receptor (AR) gene carried on the x-chromosome and the second is a non-sex chromosome 20p11.

A: Although many problems remain, the main one is to keep cloned cells differentiated (the ability to perform a specialized function, like producing a hair). There are certain cells in the skin, called fibroblasts, which reside around the base of the hair follicle. These cells are readily multiplied in a Petri dish. When these cells are injected into the skin, they have the ability to induce a hair to form (they are differentiated). The problem is that when these cells are multiplied in culture, they tend to lose this ability (they become undifferentiated).

A number of methods are being examined to keep these cells differentiated. Among them is the insertion of new genes into the cell’s nucleus to alter the expression of the existing genes. Another method is to change the spatial relationship of multiplying cells. The idea behind the second technique is that all embryonic cells have the same basic genetic material, but grow to have different functions (i.e., grow to form muscle, bone or nerves). One reason is that that the cells have a different physical relationship to one another and thus send different signals to each other based on this relationship. For example, the cells on the outside of a growing ball of cells may act differently than the cells on the inside, etc. If researchers can influence the way cells orient themselves as they multiply in the lab, this may enable them to become differentiated to produce hair and stay that way as the multiplication process continues.

For more on this intriguing topic, see the Hair Cloning and Hair Cloning Methods pages at the Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration website.

Nakamura interviewed Dr. Bernstein for this weekly series that began in October, 2006. In issues No. 1 and 2, Dr. Bernstein explained the basic mechanism of balding for both men and women which are quite different in its causes, balding types, and progression of hair loss. The NY Japion’s readers were all very surprised by the fact that balding for men is actually related to genes on both the mother’s side as well as the father’s side of the family. Dr. Bernstein also shared his unique theory of why Japan’s Samurai had the uniformed bald look.

The column discussed post-op care after hair restoration surgery and explained the drug Propecia, a men’s oral hair growth treatment, minoxidil and some cosmetic hair products.

Reporter Nakamura was also examined by Dr. Bernstein and with the patient’s permission was allowed to observe a hair transplant surgery. Issues No. 3, 4, 5 are about the surgical hair restoration procedure known as Follicular Unit Hair Transplantation (FUT), a method that Dr. Bernstein helped to pioneer. By using the patient’s own hair, FUT can give totally natural looking results. The patient’s own hair starts growing where there was no hair before.

You can download a PDF version of the original series (in Japanese) at the link below:

PDF Version

A: The cause is genetic and this poly-genetic trait can be inherited from the mother’s side, the father’s side, or both.

There is an old wives’ tale that it is inherited only from the mother’s parents. Although the inheritance can come from either side, it is actually greater from the mother’s side – but only slightly.