Culprit found in rare type of baldness

Researchers from Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China say they have discovered a genetic cause for a certain type of premature baldness and they suggest their discovery offers hope in future that those who inherit this rare type of baldness will eventually be able to keep their hair.

The scientific team have uncovered a DNA mechanism which results in Maria Unna hereditary hypotrichosis (MUHH), a baldness that strikes before adulthood.

MUHH is a rare inherited condition characterized by hair loss that starts during childhood and it affects both men and women - children born with the condition have very little or no hair at birth and have wiry or coarse hair in childhood which they progressively lose at puberty.

The Chinese team say that fine-tuning HR protein levels is important in control of hair growth, and they have found a potential mechanism for preventing hair loss or promoting hair removal.

The study is published online in the journal Nature Genetics.