Noticing gradual hair loss is one of those reality checks that can be a truly unpleasant personal experience. If it’s happened to you, welcome to a very large club. According to the Mayo Clinic, it happens to roughly one third of all men and – as a genetic gesture of equality – one third of all women as well. It’s an all too common physical deprecation, one that seems to drag on forever as we watch our plumage fall away.
For men it usually begins at the temples and the top of the head, spreading gradually into partial or complete baldness. For women, permanent hair loss can begin in the front, along the sides of the head or at the crown. Women rarely experience the degree of hair loss that typifies male pattern baldness.
There are also several types of temporary hair loss, usually caused by illness or by overzealous styling. It’s not always something that can be avoided, but the threat of temporary hair loss can be minimized by healthy scalp care.
Most of us don’t know much about scalp care and treatment; the articles listed in this section of our website should help you learn about the causes of hair loss that can be avoided and the treatments for hair loss that is part of your family history.