Female Pattern Hair Loss: According to the International Society for Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), androgenic alopecia—known more commonly as pattern hair loss—affects 35 to 40 million men in the United States alone. Less often talked about is the effect of this same genetic condition on women.

The ISHRS also tells us that past the age of 40, 50 percent of women will suffer some degree of pattern hair loss.

Female Pattern Hair Loss: How Does it occur ?

Female pattern hair loss is very different from male pattern hair loss. While the mechanism remains the same—it is caused by the presence of the testosterone metabolite, DHT—the genetic component is not as clear-cut as with men. A young man can look to what clear hereditary associations exist within his family history, but the occurrence of pattern hair loss in women can be random.

In addition, the pattern in which women lose their hair is also different from men. For men, the hairline and temple points tend to recede first, often followed by the mid-front and crown. For women, hair on the top of the scalp begins to show a diffuse thinning. This condition can begin in women as young as teen age, or any time thereafter.

Are there Other Causes of Hair Loss in Women?

Though it is the most common, female pattern hair loss is not the only reason a woman might permanently lose her hair. Non-androgen related hair loss occurs more frequently in women than men. Likewise, women are also more likely to experience temporary hair loss.

Non-androgen related causes of permanent hair loss include:

Alopecia areata
Traction alopecia
Triangular alopecia
Trichotillomania

Non-androgen related causes of temporary hair loss include:

Pregnancy
Stress
Untreated hypothyroidism
Telogen effluvium
Vitamin deficiency (especially iron deficiency, which can lead to anemia)
Folic acid deficiency
Lack of sleep
Medication use

It is normal to lose 50 to 100 hairs per day. If you are a woman who is losing many more than this number of hairs daily, and are concerned about permanent hair loss consult your physician for some or all of the following: a history and physical, blood tests (such as iron and folic acid levels), testing of sex hormones, thyroid function, and basic chemistry. These should ideally be done by a certified dermatologist. Female pattern hair loss is typically treatable once diagnosed.

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Female Pattern Hair Loss — (image-Creative Commons) Female pattern hair loss often manifests as a widening hair part

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