The Twisting Tale of Woolly Hair: A Trait with Many Causes

January 2015 in “ Journal of medical genetics ”

Yuval Ramot, Abraham Zlotogorski

woolly hair palmoplantar keratoderma cardiomyopathy genetic mechanisms hair curliness molecular pathways

TLDR New genes linked to woolly hair have been found, which could help treat it and change hair texture.

Woolly hair, a rare condition among non-black individuals, could either be an isolated trait or linked with other clinical symptoms, such as palmoplantar keratoderma, which may indicate a serious cardiomyopathy. Initially, only three genes were known to be associated with woolly hair, but recent discoveries have identified many more genes involved, revealing new molecular pathways. This enhanced understanding of the genetic mechanisms behind hair curliness could lead to new treatment options for woolly hair and potentially influence hair texture in general.

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