Posts Tagged ‘hair’

Congenital Generalized Hypertrichosis Terminalis (CGHT) is a rare condition in which the majority of one’s body, including the face, is covered in hair. Some colloquially refer to it as ‘wolf man disease.’ Until now it wasn’t exactly clear what caused the condition. However, a study published in the American Journal of Human Genetics suggests that large scale DNA changes may be the cause. By looking at the DNA of people with the disease and their unaffected relatives, scientist noticed that those with CGHT were missing some 500,000 to 900,000 DNA bases on chromosome 17. As well, in one patient there was an additional 1.4 million DNA bases on the same chromosome. It’s still unclear how these large scale changes lead to the condition. However, researchers say that understanding its genetics will likely help those with other conditions characterized by excessive hair growth or loss. Read more.

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You think by now scientist would have figured out why our hair goes gray as we age. However, only recently do we know that it’s not necessarily from attainment of wisdom. A team of European scientists just discovered that going gray is caused by a build up of hydrogen peroxide, which our hair follicles normally produce in small amounts. But as we age, wear and tear of our hair follicles renders them unable to properly process the hydrogen peroxide. The peroxide then winds up blocking the normal synthesis of melanin, the substance that gives hair its natural pigment.

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