“Female pattern” hair loss is another matter. Unlike men, women rarely become “bald” in the true sense, but many experience significant overall thinning and a reduction in hair shaft diameter, particularly around the forehead and crown of the scalp as they age.

Female hair loss

There is no set pattern for female hair loss. Some women don’t start to lose their hair until later on in life, others find their hair thinning while they are relatively young.

Many women feel isolated and alone when their hair starts to thin but it isn’t uncommon. In fact, more than 1 in 4 women inherit thinning hair.

Many people believe that hair dryers and tongs can cause women to lose hair. This is not the case.

Over-treating and colouring hair can have an adverse effect and might even cause hair to break off near the scalp – but it can’t cause long-term hair loss.

 Both men and women tend to lose hair thickness and amount as they age. Inherited or "pattern baldness" affects many more men than women. About 25% of men begin to bald by the time they are 30 years old, and about two-thirds are either bald or have a balding pattern by age 60.

Typical male pattern baldness involves a receding hairline and thinning around the crown with eventual bald spots.

Ultimately, you may have only a horseshoe ring of hair around the sides. In addition to genes, male-pattern baldness seems to require the presence of the male hormone testosterone.

Men who do not produce testosterone (because of genetic abnormalities or castration) do not develop this pattern of baldness.