1. Hair Loss Slideshow Pictures
2. Hair and Scalp Slideshow Pictures
3. Take the Hair Loss Quiz!

Medical Author:

Nili N. Alai, MD, FAAD

Nili N. Alai, MD, FAAD

Dr. Alai is an actively practicing medical and surgical dermatologist in south Orange County, California. She has been a professor of dermatology and family medicine at the University of California, Irvine since 2000. She is U.S. board-certified in dermatology, a 10-year-certified fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and Fellow of the American Society of Mohs Surgery.

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Medical Author:

Alan Rockoff, MD

Alan Rockoff, MD

Dr. Rockoff received his undergraduate degree from Yeshiva College with the distinction of Summa Cum Laude. He received his medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. His internship and two years of Pediatric residency were at the Bronx Municipal Hospital Center, followed by training in Dermatology at the combined residency program at Tufts and Boston Universities. Dr. Rockoff is certified by both the American Board of Dermatology and the American Board of Pediatrics.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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In this Article

• What are causes of hair loss?
• How is hair loss classified?
• What is alopecia areata?
• What is traction alopecia?
• What is trichotillomania?
• What is tinea capitis?
• What is generalized (diffuse) hair loss?
• What is telogen effluvium?
• What is androgenetic alopecia ("male-pattern baldness," "female-pattern baldness")?
• What treatment is there for hair loss in men?
• What other options do I have for hair loss?
• Is hair loss in women different than men?
• What about pregnancy hair loss?
• What specific treatments are there for hair loss in women?
• What vitamins are good for hair loss?
• Can itchy scalp cause hair loss?
• How do I prevent hair loss?
• Hair Loss At A Glance
• View Hair Loss Pictures - Slideshow
• Hair and Scalp Pictures - Slideshow
• Take the Hair Loss Quiz!
• Hair Loss FAQs
• Patient Comments: Hair Loss - Treatments
• Find a local Dermatologist in your town
• Hair Loss Index

This type of alopecia is often attributed to genetic predisposition and family history. Traditionally, this was originally described only in men, but we now know it is seen in both men and women. The hair loss in men is often faster, earlier onset, and more extensive.

Doctors refer to common baldness as "androgenetic alopecia" or "androgenic alopecia," which implies that a combination of hormones and heredity (genetics) is needed to develop the condition. The exact cause of this pattern is unknown. (The male hormones involved are present in both men and women.)

Male-pattern baldness

Even men who never "go bald" thin out somewhat over the years. Unlike those with reversible telogen shedding, those with common male-pattern hair loss don't notice much hair coming out; they just see that it's not there anymore. Adolescent boys notice some receding near the temples as their hairlines change from the straight-across boys' pattern to the more "M-shaped" pattern of adult men. This normal development does not mean they are losing hair.

Some "myths" about male-pattern baldness

• You inherit baldness through your mother's male relatives. Actually, baldness can come from either side of the family or both. Looking at your family can give you at best an educated guess about how you'll turn out. Studies are ongoing in this field, and current research has been inconclusive about the inheritance patterns.



• Longer hair puts a strain on roots. It doesn't. And hats don't choke off the circulation to the scalp to cause hair loss either.



• Shampooing does not accelerate balding.



• "Poor circulation" does not cause hair loss, and massaging doesn't stop it.

Male-pattern baldness