How DNA is influencing your hairiness
Hairiness Genetics Could Be Influencing Excessive Hairiness
Thick, lustrous hair is a highly desirable trait in men and women. However, excessive hairiness can be a source of embarrassment for many women. While most men may not mind hair growing on most of their faces and bodies, women often go through a lot of effort to remove hair from places they'd rather it not be. Women who are constantly frustrated by too much hair, especially women who come from a long line of excessive hairiness in the women in their family, may start to wonder about hairiness genetics.
In fact, a genetic disorder excessive hair growth is very real. There are two main pathways to excess hair growth in females, one that is dependent on hormones and the other that is hormone-independent. Specifically, if a female has higher than normal levels of androgens (male sex hormones) or are genetically sensitive to androgens, then she is more likely to grow lots of hair. The other type is idiopathic, for people who have average androgen levels but still seem to have excess hair. Hairy genetics may not be as simple as directly inheriting hairiness from your parents, but there does appear to be a genetic component.
Is Hairiness Genetic?
You could have an excessive hairiness gene that dictates your hair growth. In the same study among Japanese women that investigated the genetic influence on double-fold eyelids, excessive sweating, age spots, eyebrow thickness, and hair texture, investigators found three new loci associated with excessive hairiness. These loci were associated with the regulation of various genes such as BCL2, which has already been found to regulate hair follicle growth. Differences in BCL2 gene expression may be changing the timing at which follicles die (i.e. when the hair follicle stops growing), which may ultimately affect how hairy you are. Check out the full details of the study here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29895819
Understanding your hairiness genetics might not help you battle excess hair any more effectively. However, understanding this aspect of your own genetics can be very helpful in having some better understanding of your body and how to work with instead of against it. It can also help you to feel connected to the other women in your family who have also struggled with excessive hair in unwanted places. By knowing more about why you experience excessive hairiness and the role DNA plays, you may be emboldened to talk with other family members and share techniques for hair management.
If you’ve battled excessive hairiness for years and don’t know why, you may be frustrated by why you have a problem that so many of your friends don't seem to have. Consider genetic DNA testing to get to the bottom of it. A reliable DNA testing kit can offer insight into how your body works by providing you with a complete DNA analysis after uploading DNA data on Genomelink.
Learn if you have the excessive hairiness gene and find out the extent to which your DNA is influencing your hairiness on Genomelink!
