Baldness. Back view of a man's balding head. This type of hair loss, hereditary alopecia, is common among men. The normal scalp hairs fall out, and are replaced by much finer, lighter hairs. The thinning may start at the temples and progress, or it may first affect the crown, as seen here. The condition is not serious, and the only problem is cosmetic. Some men prefer to wear wigs or toupees to cover the exposed scalp.