Genetic Pattern Hair Loss

What Does It Look Like?

Genetic pattern hair loss is often called male pattern hair loss or female pattern hair loss because for both sexes the hair loss experienced tends to follow typical patterns. There area a variety of patterns for hair loss, Norwood’s being the most traditional pattern. However, Norwood’s is somewhat limited in addressing the other patterns of hair loss. In chapter two of this book you will see the new genetic patterns that illustrate other types of hair loss. These patterns will give you a better understanding of the variety of ways in which hair falls out. Males experience more intense forms of hair loss than females do, and the pattern of their hair loss is different. Males with hereditary hair loss often end up becoming at least partially bald. Their hair loss tends to follow the following pattern. It usually starts with a thinning of hair from the hairline at the temple and/or the crown of their heads. Over time the thinning becomes more extreme leading to baldness receding from the hairline and expanding from the crown in a circular fashion. With further aging the two separate locations of baldness tend to meet leaving the whole head bald except for a strip of hair along the back of the head above the nape of the neck. Females with hereditary hair loss tend to experience increasing thinning of their hair around the crown of their heads only. It is rare for women to experience total balding, although this may happen in some cases. Female hair loss is usually more diffuse and central than for men, and is often termed a “widened part”. Less commonly, women may have a receding hairline similar to that seen in balding men.