GC Genome said Thursday that it has launched the “Hair Loss Risk Screen” test, which can check the risk of genetic development by hair loss type by selecting genes related to hair loss.

The company’s latest product identifies genetic factors that may affect male and female alopecia and alopecia areata and examines the degree of risk of occurrence accordingly.

Aside from genetic factors, the test also provides the risk of hair loss according to family history, constitution, scalp condition, and lifestyle, and guidelines for hair loss prevention that can help improve scalp health.

According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of patients treating hair loss as a disease has been steadily increasing, from 215,025 in 2017 to 242,960 in 2021. Notably, in the age distribution of the population who received treatment for alopecia in 2020 by the National Health Insurance Service, those in their 20s and 30s accounted for 42.9 percent.

“Hair loss is caused by the interaction of heredity and the environment. If you have a genetic factor, you can prevent hair loss by improving lifestyle and managing scalp and hair even if you have no symptoms of hair loss,” GC Genome CEO Ki Chang-seok said. “If you have a family history of hair loss, or feel like you've lost a lot of hair recently, you can check the genetic factors related to hair loss through the ‘Hair Loss Risk Screen’ test and use the opportunity to learn about the lifestyle that causes hair loss."