Most women with this type of hair loss have hereditary pattern baldness. This is also called female-pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia.
As the name suggests, hereditary pattern baldness is an inherited condition (and not just from your mother's family, as is commonly believed). Up to a third of women will experience this type of hair loss at some point in their lives. The first changes of hereditary-pattern baldness can be seen when women are in their 30s or even in their 20s. However, most women notice this type of hair loss after the start of menopause.
In some cases, hereditary pattern baldness may be due to a hormone imbalance. If this type of hair loss appears before menopause, or if no one else in the family has experienced the same type of hair loss, call your doctor's office to arrange an evaluation.
Hereditary pattern baldness in women may respond to certain types of hormonal treatment. In addition, non-prescription medicated lotions that contain minoxidil can help to prevent or even reverse this type of hair loss.
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