Genetics 101
Talking about genetics is all the rage these days. It is an awfully cool subject (I think). But it can be really confusing too. And it’s hard not to consider a person’s genetic background in terms of how they should approach their aesthetics. What works for me not work for you, and vice versa. Here I try to actually try to explain genetics in simple terms.
How did we get our genetics?
Here is how the basics work. You are born with 23 pairs of chromosomes in your body (a total of 46). One set came from your mother and the other from your father. This chromosome set was there from your very conception- as a 1 cell organism. That cell then divided over and over again, to make all the other cells in your body, which means your chromosome sets were also replicated over and over again, and are sitting in all the cells of your body. There are some cells in our bodies, like eggs or sperm, that are made a little differently. We wont go into that here.
Your chromosome are made out of DNA. DNA is like our English alphabet- except it is the language of biology. The DNA is used to create genes- a gene is like an instruction manual. We have many genes, and these are held on the chromosomes. Think of it like the chromosomes are a book-shelf, the genes are like instruction manuals for the body to follow, and DNA is the alphabet that was used to write those instruction manuals.
Mutations
Mutation can be kind of a scary word, but it shouldn’t be. It just means something in a gene is spelled wrong. And all of us have them. We are each born with multiple mutations. Even though we have the same genes in most of our body parts, each body part only uses the genes that have the instructions for them. So when you have a hereditary mutation, it will exist in the genes in all of your body parts, but it wont affect the body parts that aren’t made to rely on that particular gene.
What makes things tricky is that we also acquire mutations in our genes as we age. And this is where people get confused. When you talk about genetics, you can talk about it on a hereditary (germline) level, which means these were the genes you were born with can pass down. OR, you can talk about genes getting affected in a certain part of the body (somatic).
Genetic Testing
Genetic testing is everywhere these days. There is literally a genetic test for ANYTHING. This doesn’t mean that all the tests are scientifically valid. Some genetic tests are used predominantly for medical purposes- like Angelina Jolie’s genetic test result which helped her make decisions about cancer prevention. Other tests are there just for fun- like testing whether or not you are likely to enjoy cilantro.
There are a few genetic tests out there for beauty – but given how little research there is on beauty products, it may be tough to know how to interpret those kinds of genetic test results for the same of picking your cosmetics.
Genetics and Beauty
Though genetic tests for cosmetic use aren’t really valid in my opinion, there are other clues as to how your hereditary background may be defined- and that is through family history. While you will never be identical to your relatives (except for identical twins), you do share some genes in common. So it is worth considering- do your mom and sister also suffer from horribly dry skin? It is possible this trait is due to shared genetics. However, it could also be due to shared environment. If you are all using the water to wash your face, and the water is drying out your skin, heredity has nothing to do with it. But that said, there is never a substitute for just chatting with your family about their beauty and wellness experiences- it’s a great excuse to get a conversation flowing, and you will probably learn something about yourself.
And if your family turns out to be no help, talk to other people who may have genetic similarities to you! I love chatting with other people with darker skin because often they have a tip or two that I didn’t know!
