































See Also
See Again
© Shutterstock
0 / 32 Fotos
Hair loss
- In women, hair loss can be triggered by a number of factors, namely stress, hormonal imbalances, or nutritional deficiencies. Hair thinning can also be a side effect of medication, which can also lead to hair loss.
© Shutterstock
1 / 32 Fotos
Hair loss
- For men, it’s more of a genetic problem. Male-pattern baldness is hereditary, with about half of the male population experiencing some level of it by age 50.
© Shutterstock
2 / 32 Fotos
Heart attack
- Risk factors are similar for both sexes, but women may have less obvious symptoms when having a heart attack, when compared to men.
© Shutterstock
3 / 32 Fotos
Heart attack
- As cardiologist Dr. Lili Barouch explains, "Women are much more likely to get less common symptoms such as indigestion, shortness of breath, and back pain, sometimes even in the absence of obvious chest discomfort.”
© Shutterstock
4 / 32 Fotos
Alcoholism
- Women start to develop alcohol problems earlier than men, even if they drink less comparatively. They are also more susceptible to developing liver and brain damage as well as heart disease in the long term.
© Shutterstock
5 / 32 Fotos
Alcoholism
- Men, however, are more likely to binge drink than women, which can result in a higher percentage of alcohol-related injuries. Another consequence of alcoholism that affects men and doesn't affect women is erectile dysfunction.
© Shutterstock
6 / 32 Fotos
Stroke
- Women between the ages of 55 and 75 are at greater risk of suffering a stroke. And in general, more women tend to die from it when compared to men. In the US, strokes are the fifth leading cause of death for women, with one in five suffering a stroke at some point in their lives.
© Shutterstock
7 / 32 Fotos
Stroke
- Symptoms also vary between the two sexes, with women experiencing less of the typical symptoms (i.e. they are less likely to experience numbness and pain). For this reason, women are more likely to be misdiagnosed when they go to the hospital.
© Shutterstock
8 / 32 Fotos
Stroke
- "Women more frequently have atypical, vague symptoms. They might start with fatigue, confusion or maybe general weakness, as opposed to weakness on one side of the body," explains neurology professor Dr. Pooja Khatri.
© Shutterstock
9 / 32 Fotos
Migraines
- Migraines are not your average headache. A throbbing headache is often accompanied by other symptoms, such as nausea and light sensitivity. The condition is more common in women in general, but men tend to experience more migraines earlier in life, usually before they reach puberty.
© Shutterstock
10 / 32 Fotos
Migraines
- Women, on the other hand, start getting them when they are teenagers, and frequency can increase well into their thirties. The good news is that migraines tend to decrease when women reach menopause.
© Shutterstock
11 / 32 Fotos
Alzheimer's disease
- It’s safe to say that the vast majority of people who suffer from Alzheimer's disease are women. But again, women do live longer than men, and age is the greatest risk factor when it comes to Alzheimer's.
© Shutterstock
12 / 32 Fotos
Alzheimer's disease
- Considering the female to male ratio, some researchers have found that Alzheimer's disease could be an autoimmune disorder, which women have a predisposition to.
© Shutterstock
13 / 32 Fotos
Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Mostly for anatomic reasons, women are much more likely to contract UTIs when compared to men. Bacteria simply have to travel across a longer urethra in men, which is why they don’t get as many infections.
© Shutterstock
14 / 32 Fotos
Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- But men still get UTIs, especially as they get older. Plus, they are more likely to be hospitalized for them.
© Shutterstock
15 / 32 Fotos
Anxiety
- Some symptoms, including worry and difficulty in sleep and staying focused, are similar in both men and women. But women are more likely to feel sadness associated with it.
© Shutterstock
16 / 32 Fotos
Anxiety
- Men, on the other hand, tend to bottle up their emotions more, which can sometimes lead to engagement in high-risk activities, rather than a display of sadness.
© Shutterstock
17 / 32 Fotos
Painful chronic conditions
- Women have an edge over men when it comes to chronic conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or fibromyalgia. Women in general are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions, and indeed pain.
© Shutterstock
18 / 32 Fotos
Painful chronic conditions
- The reason may be women’s immune system, as a study suggests: "The clear sex differences in immune system function have implications for other disorders in addition to chronic pain and should be considered in the development of treatments and the preclinical studies that underlie them."
© Shutterstock
19 / 32 Fotos
Osteoporosis
- Women get the short end of the stick when it comes to how fast their bones get weak and brittle. This is because of hormonal changes that occur after menopause. Though both men and women get the same rate of bone deterioration after 65.
© Shutterstock
20 / 32 Fotos
Osteoporosis
- The condition is rarer in men, but it does occur, especially due to low testosterone levels. Because the majority of osteoporosis sufferers are women, men don’t have as many treatment options, as some medications have not been tested on men.
© Shutterstock
21 / 32 Fotos
Diabetes
- Men are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, even at lower fat percentages than women.
© Shutterstock
22 / 32 Fotos
Diabetes
- Women, however, tend to suffer more complications caused by the disease, such as vision problems, heart and kidney disease, and stroke.
© Shutterstock
23 / 32 Fotos
Diabetes
- Plus, pregnant women can also get gestational diabetes, which even though temporary, requires monitoring, as it may cause complications for both the mother and the baby.
© Shutterstock
24 / 32 Fotos
Sexually transmitted diseases (STIs)
- Like previously mentioned in relation to UTIs, women are anatomically more vulnerable to STIs than men. Not only that, but the consequences of contracting an STI are greater in women, which can even lead to infertility.
© Shutterstock
25 / 32 Fotos
Sexually transmitted diseases (STIs)
- Symptoms don’t always manifest in women, and when they do, these can be really common and easily dismissed as something else. Mens symptoms (e.g. penile discharge) are more easily diagnosed.
© Shutterstock
26 / 32 Fotos
Depression
- More women are diagnosed with depression than men, and while many symptoms are similar in both sexes, women tend to experience more sadness and low energy.
© Shutterstock
27 / 32 Fotos
Depression
- Depression in men can manifest through other symptoms, including irritability, digestive issues, headaches, and an increase in risky behavior (e.g. drinking).
© Shutterstock
28 / 32 Fotos
Depression
- Women also seek more professional help when symptoms arise. While some men do seek help, many focus on the physical symptoms rather than the root cause of the problem, so they are less likely to look for psychological support.
© Shutterstock
29 / 32 Fotos
Hypertension
- Men tend to develop the condition earlier in life, but women quickly catch up after reaching menopause.
© Shutterstock
30 / 32 Fotos
Hypertension
- Men are at higher risk of heart disease, which is closely related to hypertension, but women seem to be at higher risk of ischemic stroke caused by hypertension. See also: Inflammatory bowel disease: symptoms, causes, and everything else you need know
© Shutterstock
31 / 32 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 32 Fotos
Hair loss
- In women, hair loss can be triggered by a number of factors, namely stress, hormonal imbalances, or nutritional deficiencies. Hair thinning can also be a side effect of medication, which can also lead to hair loss.
© Shutterstock
1 / 32 Fotos
Hair loss
- For men, it’s more of a genetic problem. Male-pattern baldness is hereditary, with about half of the male population experiencing some level of it by age 50.
© Shutterstock
2 / 32 Fotos
Heart attack
- Risk factors are similar for both sexes, but women may have less obvious symptoms when having a heart attack, when compared to men.
© Shutterstock
3 / 32 Fotos
Heart attack
- As cardiologist Dr. Lili Barouch explains, "Women are much more likely to get less common symptoms such as indigestion, shortness of breath, and back pain, sometimes even in the absence of obvious chest discomfort.”
© Shutterstock
4 / 32 Fotos
Alcoholism
- Women start to develop alcohol problems earlier than men, even if they drink less comparatively. They are also more susceptible to developing liver and brain damage as well as heart disease in the long term.
© Shutterstock
5 / 32 Fotos
Alcoholism
- Men, however, are more likely to binge drink than women, which can result in a higher percentage of alcohol-related injuries. Another consequence of alcoholism that affects men and doesn't affect women is erectile dysfunction.
© Shutterstock
6 / 32 Fotos
Stroke
- Women between the ages of 55 and 75 are at greater risk of suffering a stroke. And in general, more women tend to die from it when compared to men. In the US, strokes are the fifth leading cause of death for women, with one in five suffering a stroke at some point in their lives.
© Shutterstock
7 / 32 Fotos
Stroke
- Symptoms also vary between the two sexes, with women experiencing less of the typical symptoms (i.e. they are less likely to experience numbness and pain). For this reason, women are more likely to be misdiagnosed when they go to the hospital.
© Shutterstock
8 / 32 Fotos
Stroke
- "Women more frequently have atypical, vague symptoms. They might start with fatigue, confusion or maybe general weakness, as opposed to weakness on one side of the body," explains neurology professor Dr. Pooja Khatri.
© Shutterstock
9 / 32 Fotos
Migraines
- Migraines are not your average headache. A throbbing headache is often accompanied by other symptoms, such as nausea and light sensitivity. The condition is more common in women in general, but men tend to experience more migraines earlier in life, usually before they reach puberty.
© Shutterstock
10 / 32 Fotos
Migraines
- Women, on the other hand, start getting them when they are teenagers, and frequency can increase well into their thirties. The good news is that migraines tend to decrease when women reach menopause.
© Shutterstock
11 / 32 Fotos
Alzheimer's disease
- It’s safe to say that the vast majority of people who suffer from Alzheimer's disease are women. But again, women do live longer than men, and age is the greatest risk factor when it comes to Alzheimer's.
© Shutterstock
12 / 32 Fotos
Alzheimer's disease
- Considering the female to male ratio, some researchers have found that Alzheimer's disease could be an autoimmune disorder, which women have a predisposition to.
© Shutterstock
13 / 32 Fotos
Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Mostly for anatomic reasons, women are much more likely to contract UTIs when compared to men. Bacteria simply have to travel across a longer urethra in men, which is why they don’t get as many infections.
© Shutterstock
14 / 32 Fotos
Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- But men still get UTIs, especially as they get older. Plus, they are more likely to be hospitalized for them.
© Shutterstock
15 / 32 Fotos
Anxiety
- Some symptoms, including worry and difficulty in sleep and staying focused, are similar in both men and women. But women are more likely to feel sadness associated with it.
© Shutterstock
16 / 32 Fotos
Anxiety
- Men, on the other hand, tend to bottle up their emotions more, which can sometimes lead to engagement in high-risk activities, rather than a display of sadness.
© Shutterstock
17 / 32 Fotos
Painful chronic conditions
- Women have an edge over men when it comes to chronic conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or fibromyalgia. Women in general are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions, and indeed pain.
© Shutterstock
18 / 32 Fotos
Painful chronic conditions
- The reason may be women’s immune system, as a study suggests: "The clear sex differences in immune system function have implications for other disorders in addition to chronic pain and should be considered in the development of treatments and the preclinical studies that underlie them."
© Shutterstock
19 / 32 Fotos
Osteoporosis
- Women get the short end of the stick when it comes to how fast their bones get weak and brittle. This is because of hormonal changes that occur after menopause. Though both men and women get the same rate of bone deterioration after 65.
© Shutterstock
20 / 32 Fotos
Osteoporosis
- The condition is rarer in men, but it does occur, especially due to low testosterone levels. Because the majority of osteoporosis sufferers are women, men don’t have as many treatment options, as some medications have not been tested on men.
© Shutterstock
21 / 32 Fotos
Diabetes
- Men are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, even at lower fat percentages than women.
© Shutterstock
22 / 32 Fotos
Diabetes
- Women, however, tend to suffer more complications caused by the disease, such as vision problems, heart and kidney disease, and stroke.
© Shutterstock
23 / 32 Fotos
Diabetes
- Plus, pregnant women can also get gestational diabetes, which even though temporary, requires monitoring, as it may cause complications for both the mother and the baby.
© Shutterstock
24 / 32 Fotos
Sexually transmitted diseases (STIs)
- Like previously mentioned in relation to UTIs, women are anatomically more vulnerable to STIs than men. Not only that, but the consequences of contracting an STI are greater in women, which can even lead to infertility.
© Shutterstock
25 / 32 Fotos
Sexually transmitted diseases (STIs)
- Symptoms don’t always manifest in women, and when they do, these can be really common and easily dismissed as something else. Mens symptoms (e.g. penile discharge) are more easily diagnosed.
© Shutterstock
26 / 32 Fotos
Depression
- More women are diagnosed with depression than men, and while many symptoms are similar in both sexes, women tend to experience more sadness and low energy.
© Shutterstock
27 / 32 Fotos
Depression
- Depression in men can manifest through other symptoms, including irritability, digestive issues, headaches, and an increase in risky behavior (e.g. drinking).
© Shutterstock
28 / 32 Fotos
Depression
- Women also seek more professional help when symptoms arise. While some men do seek help, many focus on the physical symptoms rather than the root cause of the problem, so they are less likely to look for psychological support.
© Shutterstock
29 / 32 Fotos
Hypertension
- Men tend to develop the condition earlier in life, but women quickly catch up after reaching menopause.
© Shutterstock
30 / 32 Fotos
Hypertension
- Men are at higher risk of heart disease, which is closely related to hypertension, but women seem to be at higher risk of ischemic stroke caused by hypertension. See also: Inflammatory bowel disease: symptoms, causes, and everything else you need know
© Shutterstock
31 / 32 Fotos
These conditions affect men and women differently
The severity of symptoms can differ between men and women
© Shutterstock
Medical conditions don't manifest in the same manner in every population. Of course, individual differences are determinant, but the person's sex also plays a role in this. Generally speaking, symptoms, as well as severity of outcomes, vary depending on whether the sufferer is of the male or female sex. In this gallery, we compile a list of conditions in which this occurs.
Click on to learn how men and women are differently affected by some medical conditions.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU




































MOST READ
- Last Hour
- Last Day
- Last Week