User:Mr. Ibrahem/Pattern hair loss

Pattern hair loss, also known as androgenetic alopecia, is a type of hair loss that is gradual in onset and occurs in a characteristic pattern. Onset is after puberty. In males the top and front of the scalp is initially involved. In females it typically presents as thinning of the hair. While it is associated with heart disease and prostate cancer, the condition itself is not serious.

Male pattern hair loss is believed to be due to a combination of genetics and the male hormone dihydrotestosterone. The cause in female pattern hair loss remains unclear. A son, of an affected father, has a five fold increased risk of the condition. Multiple genes are involved. In women the condition is often first noticed one to six months after a significant stressor.

Management may include simply accepting the condition. Otherwise, treatments may include minoxidil, finasteride, dutasteride, or hair transplant surgery. These medications can take six months for an effect. In women spironolactone may also be used. Use of finasteride and dutasteride in women is not well-studied, and it may result in birth defects if taken during pregnancy.

Pattern hair loss by the age of 50 affects about half of males and a quarter of females. Up to 80% of males over the age of 70 may be affected. The condition becomes more common after menopause. White people are more commonly affected than people of color.