What Causes Hereditary Baldness?
Hereditary baldness, also known as androgenetic alopecia or AGA, is characterized by premature hair loss in men and women. A January 1995 article in the “The American Journal of Medicine” reports that the prevalence of hereditary baldness is between 23 and 87 percent and it increases with age. The incidence of this disorder is greater in men, but it also can occur in women. Because the presentation of the disorder is different between men, who commonly experience a receding hairline, and women, who typically experience more of diffuse hair loss, it is likely underreported in women. It also is uncommon in women who are premenopausal.
