Male-pattern hair loss (
MPHL), also known as
androgenic alopecia and
male pattern baldness, is
hair loss that occurs due to an underlying susceptibility of
hair follicles to shrinkage due to the influence of
androgenic hormones. Male-pattern hair loss is the most common cause of
hair loss and will affect up to 70% of men and 40% of women at some point in their lifetimes. Men typically present with progressive hair loss at the
temples and
vertex balding, whereas women typically present with diffuse hair loss over the top of their scalps. Both genetic and environmental factors play a role, and many
causes of male-pattern hair loss remain unknown.