Baldness occurs when new hair growth ceases, and hair that naturally falls out is not replaced. While baldness is generally associated with men, it does occur in females. Female pattern baldness differs from male pattern baldness. Unlike male pattern baldness, the front of the hairline remains intact and hair loss rarely advances to complete or near-complete baldness, according to MedlinePlus. Hair primarily thins at the top of the head and at the crown, presenting as a widened center part.
Aging
Medline Plus reports that the thinning of hair, characteristic in female pattern baldness, may occur due to aging. As people age, the rate of hair growth slows down, hair strands contain less pigmentation and some women lose body hair or develop coarser facial hair. In the case of female baldness, follicles stop producing new hairs to replace those that fall out.
Genetics
Genetics also plays a role in female pattern baldness. Heredity remains the most often cited theory as to why women develop baldness, but Lynn A. Drake, president of the American Academy of Dermatology, notes in a 1998 New York Times article that physicians are often quick to contribute female baldness to heredity, when in fact, it may be the result of a serious disease. The same article states that hereditary hair loss occurs in genetically predisposed people when hair follicles produce the enzyme known as 5-alpha reductase. This enzyme combines with testosterone to shrink and destroy hair follicles. Because women produce much less testosterone than men, they in turn, lose less hair.
Hormones
Hormonal changes may trigger female pattern baldness. This condition commonly occurs after the onset of menopause, according to Medline Plus, and it may be the result of changing levels of androgens, or male hormones, associated with menopause. Female pattern baldness may also result from taking birth control pills containing high levels of androgen, pregnancy and the development of ovarian cysts, reveals the American Hair Loss Association.
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