Female pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) is the most common type of hair loss experienced by women. It affects women of all races and ethnic groups as early as puberty, although most with the condition first experience hair loss around the time of menopause (end of menstruation). Rates of incidence increase with age, with female pattern hair loss to some degree affecting a majority of women aged 65 and older.

The condition is genetically predetermined and incurable, though factors such as age and levels of androgens (male sex hormones) may help determine when it occurs and how extensive it may become. Female pattern hair loss differs from male pattern hair loss in that women typically experience an overall thinning of the hair across the top of the scalp as opposed to a “bald spot” or receding hairline. A widening of the part or a decrease in pony tail width is usually the most noticeable sign that hair loss is occurring.

A physician diagnoses female pattern hair loss by taking the patient’s medical history and performing a physical examination, during which time the scalp will be closely examined for other signs of hair disease (e.g., scarring, plugging of hair follicles). Additional testing may be done (e.g., skin biopsy, blood tests) if other conditions that cause similar hair loss patterns (e.g., telogen effluvium, alopecia areata) are suspected.

The only treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to specifically treat female patten hair loss is minoxidil 2 percent solution. Some women may also benefit from treatment with antiandrogens that can reduce levels of hormones (e.g., dihydrotestosterone) that contribute to hair loss. Hair transplantation surgery can restore hair growth by moving healthy follicles from an unaffected area to an area with extensive thinning or balding. However, no treatment is effective all of the time and some patients may not benefit regardless of the method used.