Although commonly thought in popular culture to afflict men, androgenic alopecia, or female pattern hair loss, also affects tens of millions of women. While upsetting for a man to lose his hair, it can be socially acceptable (i.e., Sean Connery); thinning hair for women, however, is categorically socially unacceptable. Female pattern hair loss results in a "see-through" appearance of the frontal hairline. This double standard produces anxiety for many women with female pattern hair loss, compounded by the lack of medical and surgical hair restoration treatments that are directed toward women.

In addition, the lack of understanding by the medical community of female pattern hair loss often results in women not getting the proper treatment. Women often complain of being dismissed by their spouse, friends, or family physicians when they raise the subject of their thinning hair.

Today there are safe and effective long-term medical and surgical treatments for female pattern hair loss.