Female Pattern Baldness: Mistakenly thought to be a strictly male disease, women make up a significant percentage of American hair loss sufferers. Forty percent of women have visible hair loss by the time they are age 40, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Hair loss in women can be absolutely devastating for self image and emotional well-being. The American Hair Loss Association recognizes that hair loss in women is a serious life-altering condition that can no longer be ignored.