Both men and women can become bald. There are several terms that describe baldness. Some of these are “permanent pattern baldness” and “male pattern baldness”. Even though women can become bald, baldness is much more common in men.

There are many different potential causes of baldness. However, probably the two most common causes are hormonal changes and the individual’s genetic makeup. This article provides three different balding types and the causes of each.

Patchy Hair Loss

Patchy hair loss is not the same as male pattern baldness. In the case of patchy hair loss the loss of hair occurs in patches. This is a somewhat uncommon type of baldness. Usually, those individuals who do have patchy hair loss don’t even realize it until somebody points it out them. There are actually two causes of patchy hair loss. These are alopecia and ringworm.

The more common cause of patchy hair loss is known as “alopecia”. Alopecia will cause hair loss as a result of an imbalance of certain hormones or simply genetics. A common cause of alopecia is certain drug treatments, as seen in those individuals undergoing cancer chemotherapy.

In most of the alopecia cases that are not caused by drugs, it is seen at a very early age, perhaps starting in the teenage years. Generally, it will increase throughout the individual’s life. Usually it will affect all of the hair and not just as patches.

Ringworm commonly occurs in children. While it’s not considered a major threat to the child’s health, ringworm is a very contagious condition. Typically, the ringworm-affected skin becomes very flaky and dry. This can result in some loss of hair around the area that is infected. This is a very easily treated kind of baldness. It is best to consult you doctor for treatment options.

Balding

Baldness in men is a naturally occurring thing in many men. The primary cause of male baldness is hormonal changes. Another common cause of baldness in men is genetics. There are many men who have inherited the baldness trait. This can be passed from generation to generation. The majority of cases of balding occur in men, even though baldness can occur in both men and women.

General Hair Loss In Men And Women

Generalized hair loss happens in both men and women. There are several causes of generalized loss of hair. Any of the following can be attributed the generalized hair loss seen in both men and women:

* Thyroid disorders
* Vitamin deficiency that occurs for a long time period
* Illness or infection