Why can't we cure baldness?

"It's genetics, good old-fashioned genetics," said Cole. But scientists have had a hard time pinpointing the precise gene that causes baldness. Scientists found one gene in 2009, but they've had a hard time getting results with various therapies targeted to that gene.

cbsnews.com - Good Question: Why Is It So Hard To Cure Baldness? - CBS News

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By Jason DeRusha, WCCO-TV

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- More than 50 million American men suffer from hair loss and baldness. One in two by the age of 50 will experience hair loss, as will one in four women. Hundreds of millions of dollars is spent every year on research. So why is it so hard to cure baldness?

To understand the challenge, you have to understand the cause of baldness, said Vern Cole, founder and president of the Hair Restoration Institute of Minnesota.

"It's genetics, good old-fashioned genetics," said Cole.

But scientists have had a hard time pinpointing the precise gene that causes baldness. Scientists found one gene in 2009, but they've had a hard time getting results with various therapies targeted to that gene. "A lot of money is being spent in R & D," said Cole.

Researchers are looking at two sides of baldness: How do we prevent it? And How do we regrow hair after a follicle has died?

According to some market research, Americans spend more than $3 billion a year attacking hair loss - on surgeries, medicines and hairpieces. At Cole's practice, a medical doctor transplants living hair follicles into areas where a patient is balding. "This is permanent hair, genetically programmed to never fall out," said Cole, pointing to a donor area just above the neckline.

Why does that hair stick around?

"That's a great question," he responded.

Hair is a complex system of cells and hormones. It turns grey - or it doesn't. It grows - or it falls out. Scientists do know that the trigger for baldness is a hormone called DHT - Dihidrotestosterone. They just don't know why it's triggered. "There's this genetic tendency to store too much testosterone. It grabs onto the follicle, shrinks it, robs it of the blood supply," said Cole, "thus the hair becomes thinner, finer, weaker, until it falls out." But until scientists can isolate the exact cause for baldness, "I don't think there will be a cure," said Cole. "What's on the horizon and is hopeful is the cloning of hair follicles," he added, which he said would be huge news for patients who don't have enough donor hair for a hair transplant procedure. "If we can clone follicles, there would be an abundance of follicles, and that wouldn't limit anyone from having a full head of hair," Cole said. Doctors are also doing stem cell research. Initially, they expected that bald men would have fewer stem cells than men without baldness, but that hasn't proven to be true. Both groups have the same amount of stem cells beneath the scalp. So some researchers are trying to find a way to "turn on" the stem cells again, in order to produce new follicle growth. Right now, most scientists believe that humans are born with about 10,000 follicles, and when they die, the hair follicles die.

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How do you know if you have too much DHT?

The following are three signs of high DHT in men. Acne Is a Symptom of High DHT. A Receding Hairline Is a Symptom of High DHT. Hair Loss at the Temples and on the Crown Are Symptoms of High DHT.

webmd.com - 3 High DHT Symptoms You Should Know - Hair loss - WebMD

Two of the causes of androgenetic alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness, are genetics and a sensitivity to the sex hormone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT). According to the American Hair Loss Association, DHT is an androgen (hormone) that plays a role in the development of male sex traits, including body hair—but high levels of DHT can also lead to hair loss. The following are three signs of high DHT in men.

Acne Is a Symptom of High DHT

“High DHT leads to high levels of androgens, which contribute to acne in men,” Anna Chacon, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and hair loss expert in South Florida tells WebMD Connect to Care. While it’s less common in adults, high hormone levels can increase oil production and clog pores that cause acne.

A Receding Hairline Is a Symptom of High DHT

“High DHT may also lead to receding hairline,” Chacon says. According to Medline Plus, there is a strong link between androgenetic alopecia and DHT levels. Variations in the androgen receptor (AR) gene can make some people more susceptible to the effects of of DHT. In males, this form of hair loss usually follows a characteristic pattern, starting with a receding hairline.

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