Types of Hair Loss and Pattern Thinning

In This Chapter

Defining the various types of hair loss

Understanding how heredity and disease can cause hair loss

Looking at how your lifestyle impacts your hair

Exploring causes of pattern thinning in men and women
People have different ideas about what constitutes hair loss
and what causes it. Some people see three or four hairs in the
sink after combing and panic. Others don’t think they’re losing
their hair until the back bald spot meets the middle bald spot and
there’s nothing left to comb. When it comes to figuring out why
they’re going bald, some people assume it’s genetic, and therefore
unavoidable, whereas others are less accepting and look into every
possible way to save their hair.
In this chapter, we define male and female balding patterns, explain
why balding occurs, describe how pattern baldness is recognized
and classified, and give you some ideas on how your lifestyle can
affect your hair.