Hair Loss

Diagnosis

When you see a doctor about hair loss, he or she will take your medical history and examine your hair and scalp. Your doctor will ask about hair loss or thinning in your relatives, which may indicate hereditary pattern baldness or another hereditary condition. The doctor will also want to know about your medications and diet, medical treatment, hair care habits, stress, and other aspects of your life that could cause hair loss.

The doctor will examine your scalp for signs of redness or scaling that may suggest an infection. The doctor may pull some hairs to see how easily they come out. This helps determine what proportion of your hair is growing and what proportion is resting. On average, about 90% of the hair is in a growth stage. Anything less than that percentage suggests a hair loss problem.

If the doctor suspects a fungal infection, a hair sample may be collected for laboratory testing. Blood tests will be needed if the doctor believes that an underlying medical condition such as a thyroid problem is causing the hair loss.

You may have a diagnosis other than pattern baldness if you have one or more of these symptoms:

• Your hair falls out suddenly or in clumps.
• You have patchy hair loss.
• You scalp is red or flaking in areas of hair loss.
• You have total loss of all body hair.
• You have a medical condition such as thyroid disease or were recently pregnant.
• You constantly pull, tug, or twist your hair until it breaks and falls out.