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Female pattern baldness - Symptom

Alternative Names

Alopecia in women; Baldness - female; Hair loss in women; Androgenic alopecia in women

Symptoms:

Thinning of hair over the entire head
Hair loss at the crown or hairline, mild to moderate

Signs and tests:

Female pattern baldness is usually diagnosed based on the appearance and pattern of hair loss and by ruling out other causes of hair loss.

A skin biopsy or other procedures may be used to diagnose medical disorders that cause loss of hair.

Analysis of the hair itself is not accurate for diagnosing nutritional or similar causes of hair loss, although it may reveal substances such as arsenic or lead.

Female-pattern baldness

Reviewed last on: 2/5/2008
Kevin Berman, MD, PhD, Associate, Atlanta Center for Dermatologic Disease, Atlanta, GA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology. 4th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby, Inc. 2004:844.

Cummings CW, Flint PW, Haughey BH, et al. Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 4th ed. St Louis, Mo; Mosby; 2005:677-679.

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