Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pelonía | /pelonia/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| pelambrera | /pelambɾeɾa/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| peladera | /peladeɾa/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
All the provided forms are nouns used to describe the condition of hair loss. However, in both medical and everyday contexts, the most common way to describe the actual process of hair falling out is caída del cabello.
Which one should you use?
While pelonía and pelambrera are nouns for the condition, peladera is used more specifically to refer to a bald patch or the state of being bald in a colloquial sense. For a formal description of the condition, one might also use la pérdida de cabello or the medical term la alopecia.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal or medical situations, use la pérdida de cabello or la alopecia. In contrast, peladera is a colloquial term. The nouns pelonía and pelambrera are also available to describe the condition.
How does it change in a sentence?
All the main forms provided, pelonía, pelambrera and peladera, are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/pelonia/
Did you know?
- The word pelado is a common slang term for a bald person but can also mean 'broke' or 'having no money' in various Latin American countries.
- The colloquial term peladera can be used metaphorically to describe a period of drought or a general lack of something.
- In some regions, pelambrera can refer not just to the loss of hair but to a messy or neglected head of hair.
Examples in context
- ¿Has notado alguna caída de cabello en los últimos meses?Have you noticed any hair loss in recent months?
- Sí, estoy preocupado(a) por la pérdida de pelo. ¿Crees que debería ver a un médico?Yes, I am worried about hair loss. Do you think I should see a doctor?
- Creo que me estoy quedando calvo(a). ¿Qué opinas?I think I am going bald. What do you think?
- No te preocupes, la calvicie es común y no te define como persona.Don't worry, baldness is common and it doesn't define you as a person.
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are discussing health at home.
- MateoLucía, creo que tengo pelonía.Lucía, I think I have hair loss.
- LucíaEs verdad, Mateo, notas menos cabello.It is true, Mateo, you notice less hair.
- Mateo¿Conoces algún champú para la pelonía?Do you know any shampoo for hair loss?
- LucíaDeberías preguntarle a un médico.You should ask a doctor.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hair loss” translations and entries pelambrera, peladera, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
