Dealing with hair loss is a fairly common problem. For men and women, hair loss can be very traumatic. At first, you may notice you're losing small amounts of hair. It doesn't seem like a big deal until it continues, and those small amounts add up to become significant. For awhile, you can hide the thinning spots by changing your hairstyle, but when it becomes noticeable to others, it takes an emotional toll. Having a vibrant, thick head of hair is synonymous with youthfulness and good health. When hair is receding and thinning, it's easy to become obsessed with trying to fix the problem.

There are typical ways in which men and women experience hair loss:
Men
Generally, hair loss in men begins with a receding hairline and is most common on the top and front of the scalp. This is known as male-pattern hair loss.
Women
Usually, women's hair loss presents with a thinning of the hair, and just like men, the most common areas for hair loss are on the top and front of the scalp. This is known as female-pattern hair loss.

There are general causes for hair loss in men and women:
Men
Hair loss in men is thought to be caused by genetics and a hormone called dihydrotestosterone.
Women
The cause of hair loss in women is not clear, other than having a genetic predisposition for it. 

 

Statistics show that many people deal with hair loss:

Men
By the age of 35, two-thirds of men will experience some degree of hair loss, and by age 50, approximately half of all men experience male-pattern hair loss, the most common type. Also by age 50, 85% of men will have thinning hair.

Women
25% of women will experience female-pattern hair loss by age 50. Less than 45% of women will reach age 80 with a full head of hair.

Significant hair loss often leads to depression. Men feel they've lost their competitive edge, and women feel unattractive. Dealing with the effects of receding and thinning hair is difficult. Knowing you are not alone in dealing with it can be of some comfort, but the truth is that hair loss is a frustrating problem that is not easily solved.