Hair loss is often hereditary but can also be caused by changes in hormones or other stressors.  Hair loss can occur in women for reasons other than female-pattern baldness. These some of these are temporary shedding of hair (telogen effluvium) breaking of hair patchy areas of total hair loss (alopecia areata) oral medications certain skin diseases pregnancy menopause other hormonal changes Parsa Mohebi, MD Reviews - The Typical Pattern of Female-Pattern Hair Loss Female-pattern baldness is characterized by thinning of the hair ...