While hair loss is considered a normal part of aging for men, hair loss in women is much less common. Thus, hair loss in women is much more detrimental to a woman's self image than it is for a man. Women with thinning hair are often ridiculed and may find it difficult to be seen in social situations. But what makes male and female hair loss so different?

The truth is that there are not many differences in the way the hair is lost or why. While it is true that fewer women are susceptible to genetic hair loss, a small group of women do still experience this disease. This type of hair loss may cause complete baldness and is not temporary. It is a popular misconception that these women are somehow genetically or hormonally more masculine than other women. While this has caused many women shame and ridicule, this is a complete myth. There has yet to be any proof that these women are genetically or hormonally more masculine than any other woman.

Hormonal hair loss also occurs in women. Nevertheless, hormonal hair loss in women is usually temporary, as a woman will experience re-growth once the hormones return to normal. This type of hair loss in women is likely to occur after the birth of a child, during menopause, during pregnancy or even as early as puberty.

If you or someone you know as experience hair loss after the birth of a child, the experience I usually temporary. This type of hair loss occurs when extreme fluctuations in hormones take place. During this time a woman's estrogen levels are likely to either be to too high or too low. If the level happens to be particularly low, it leaves the woman more susceptible to an imbalance. The testosterone in her body may trigger the same hormonal hair loss it does in men. Luckily for the woman, this usually only last a few months before hair begins to grow again. A woman may also experience hormonal hair loss if she has a thyroid problem, but even this is temporary, as the hair will return when the thyroid is treated.

Hair loss due to medication is a greater risk for females than males, because breast cancer in women is the most common kind of cancer. Like most cancers, breast cancer often requires treatment in the form of chemotherapy. Women are also at a greater risk of having thyroid disease which often requires radio active treatment. This too causes the hair to fall out. Many of these treatments will cause complete baldness. Luckily, this type of hair loss is also temporary and may subside when the medication is stopped.

Since most forms of female hair loss are temporary, over the counter treatments may be used to prevent too much hair from being lost during these periods. However, genetic hair loss is still a real threat even for women. For this reason anyone experiencing thinning hair should see a doctor and consider treatment.