Balding man. Top view of the head of a man with male-pattern baldness. The man's hairline has receded from the front, leaving a thin layer of fine, downy hair. Male-pattern baldness is the most common form of inherited baldness (hereditary alopecia). Normal hair is lost initially from the crown and temples, where it is replaced by a temporary layer of finer hair. As the hairline recedes, the affected area widens. Male-pattern baldness is inherited, usually affecting men but occasionally affecting women. There is no effective treatment although the condition is sometimes disguised with wigs and transplants.