Androgenetic alopecia, hereditary hair loss, is the leading cause of hair loss for women. It is also known as male pattern baldness. It is transmitted through the parents, father or mother, where the hair falls out under the influence of the male hormone testosterone. Female hair loss usually has a diffuse pattern, the hair loss takes place spread over the head and makes the hair thinner. In men you often see a receding hairline and enlarging coves and then a thin crown. Men can go completely bald, this is less common in women. Women also have testosterone in the blood, but the amount is much lower than in men. There can also be other, sometimes temporary, conditions and factors that cause hair loss. This includes medication use, hormonal changes, stress and a lack of certain vitamins and minerals.