A genetic hair test · a cheek swab, in studio
Hair Loss DNA Test in Fort Collins
What you inherited, read alongside what your scalp shows today.
This is a hair loss DNA test taken with a cheek swab in the Fort Collins studio. It reads inherited differences linked to hair loss, scalp health, nutrient use and how you may respond to common hair care approaches. Amy Gray, a clinical trichologist, then goes through the report alongside your scalp findings.
Book a scalp evaluation Call (970) 698-6800
Cheek swab · no blood, no needle · $650, done once
What a DNA test for hair loss can and cannot tell you
Your genes are the blueprint you were born with. A DNA test reads that blueprint, so it can show whether you may be prone to thinning, how your body tends to handle the nutrients hair depends on, and which kinds of support may suit you better.
What it cannot do is say what is happening on your scalp today. The results are meant to guide supportive choices, not to diagnose a scalp condition. Your history and what is seen at your scalp still decide whether any of it is actually happening.
Because your DNA does not change, the result does not either. Run it again in ten years and it will say the same thing.
How the genetic hair test works
A cheek swab
Thirty seconds inside each cheek, after half an hour of nothing to eat or drink. No hair, no blood, no needle.
Your inherited variants
The lab reads inherited differences linked to hair loss, treatment response, scalp health, nutrient use and recovery.
Every gene, listed one by one
The report works through each variant individually rather than summarizing them, so you can see exactly which gene every finding came from.
What the test looks at
The variants fall into four areas.
- Anti-alopecics Prostaglandin signaling, minoxidil activation, androgen and DHT metabolism, glucocorticoid response.
- Skin and scalp support Circulation, collagen integrity and growth-factor signaling — ACE, COL1A1, IGF1R.
- Oxidative stress and detoxification How well cells handle oxidative load and clear damaging compounds — the NRF2 pathway, antioxidant defense, glutathione.
- Hair, aesthetics and longevity Microbiome and barrier function, wound healing, cellular energy, tissue strength.
A number of the variants sit in vitamin and mineral pathways, among them vitamin D, biotin, folate (B9), B12, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, zinc, magnesium and selenium.
What comes back
The report returns recommendations across five categories: pharmacogenetics, nutraceutical support, in-office modalities, topical biologics and home care. Each recommendation is weighted low, moderate or high, which guides how intensive a care plan may need to be rather than how severe anything is.
Amy Gray is not a physician and does not prescribe. The report’s medication section is information for a physician, and Amy refers any medication questions to your doctor.
DNA test or epigenetic hair scan?
They are often confused, and they answer different questions.
Neither replaces the clinical scalp evaluation, which looks at what is happening at your scalp and follicles today.
Is hair loss inherited from your mother or your father?
It can come from either side. Pattern hair loss tends to run in families, and having a close relative with it is a known risk factor. Many genes play a part, along with outside factors.
The best-known gene, the AR gene, sits on the X chromosome, which men inherit from their mother. That is likely where the idea that baldness comes from your mother’s side began. Large genetic studies in men have since linked dozens of other DNA regions to pattern hair loss, most of them on chromosomes inherited from both parents. A DNA test shows which of the tested variants you carry, rather than guessing from family photos.
What the genetic hair test costs
The hair loss DNA test is $650. It is a one-time cost. Most people start with the clinical scalp evaluation and add the test when they want to know what they may be inherently prone to.
Hair loss DNA test: common questions
What does a hair loss DNA test show?
A hair loss DNA test shows inherited variants in genes linked to hair growth, scalp health, nutrient use and how you may respond to treatments. It shows tendencies you were born with. It does not diagnose hair loss or say what is happening on your scalp today.How much does the hair loss DNA test cost?
$650 at Core & Crown Collective in Fort Collins. It is a one-time test, because your genes do not change.Is hair loss inherited from your mother or father?
It can come from either side. Pattern hair loss tends to run in families, and genes from both parents can play a part. The best-known gene, the AR gene, sits on the X chromosome, which men inherit from their mother. Large studies have linked dozens of other DNA regions to pattern hair loss, and outside factors matter too.Can a DNA test show if my DHT is high?
No. It looks at genes involved in how your body handles androgens and DHT, not at how much DHT you have right now. Hormone levels are measured with a blood test, and Amy can order that bloodwork for you directly, with no doctor’s order needed.Do I need a scalp evaluation first?
Yes, it is the best place to start. The scalp evaluation shows what is happening on your scalp today, and the DNA test adds what you may be prone to. The plan comes from putting the two together.Start with the scalp evaluation
A sixty-minute evaluation in Fort Collins, with your scalp examined under magnification. Ask about adding the hair loss DNA test.