Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common cause of hair loss affecting approximately 50% of men in varying degrees by the age of 50 and 53% of women by the age of 50.

AGA is hereditary, that is a person inherits the tendency to go bald, exactly why or how is not known. Clients often complain about older siblings with no hair loss looking younger than them. AGA can be inherited from either parent’s families, a particular baldness pattern may be inherited from a long deceased ancestor but it is always an inherited pattern.

AGA is influenced by both genetic and hormonal factors and by time. Genetics determine the density and location of the androgen-sensitive hair follicles. Androgens will then trigger a series of events within these genetically programmed hair follicles (over a period of time) that will result in hair loss and eventually baldness.

This process will never start before puberty but can begin at any time during the susceptible individual’s lifetime.