What is hair loss?

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    Last Updated: May 16, 2025

    Hair loss, or alopecia, is the loss of hair on the body. The various types of alopecia include androgenic alopecia, alopecia areata, telogen effluvium, and anagen effluvium.

    Hair loss, also known as alopecia, refers to the loss of hair on the body. There are various types of hair loss, all of which tend to differ in their underlying causes, prevalence, and the pattern in which hair is lost. Common types of hair loss include male- and female-pattern hair loss (collectively referred to as androgenic alopecia; AGA), alopecia areata, telogen effluvium, and anagen effluvium.[1]