Norwood Class 3 Hair Loss in Women

Male pattern balding is thought to only affect males and rare indeed is the female with this type of balding, according to popular belief. Yet, I have seen some relatively young females (in their twenties at most) with a hairline resembling a Norwood Class 3. What is this about? Perhaps I should buy myself a set of spectacles, or is it really true that females may develop male pattern balding to a certain degree?

Many women get a very thin corner that develops over time. The hair is miniaturized, but most often not lost. It grows slowly and rarely bothers the women. It has been suggested that women with this corner thinning, may have some form of genetic balding like the Class 3 males with corner recession.