Hair Loss - Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosis

Doctors usually start by checking your scalp and hair closely. They’ll ask about your health, what you eat, if baldness runs in your family, and how you take care of your hair.

These questions help them figure out if genetics or health issues like hormone imbalances or autoimmune diseases might be behind your hair thinning or bald spots.

Common tests are:

Blood Tests: These can pick up on thyroid problems or low iron that might be causing hair to fall out.
Pull Test: The doctor gently tugs on your hair to see how much comes out and to spot patterns like telogen effluvium or androgenetic alopecia.
Scalp Biopsy: They take a small sample from your scalp to check for infections, scarring, or things like tinea capitis.
Light Microscopy: This lets them get a close look at hair roots and spot issues like hair shaft disorders or anagen effluvium.

Doctors also look for patchy hair loss, scarring, or signs of genetic hair loss in your family.

Treatment

Medicines for Hair Regrowth

Doctors often turn to prescription or over-the-counter drugs for certain types of hair loss. For genetic or pattern baldness, minoxidil (think Rogaine) is a common pick.

You apply the solution, foam, or shampoo right to your scalp—usually once a day for women, twice for men. Some people like using the foam on wet hair.

Minoxidil can help regrow hair or slow down loss, but you’ll probably need at least six months to see any real change.

If it’s working, you have to keep using it regularly or the benefits will fade. Stop using it, and any new hair might disappear.

Side effects? Sometimes you’ll get skin irritation or even hair growing where you don’t want it, like on your face or hands.

For men, there’s a hair loss treatment pill for male pattern baldness, taken once daily. It slows hair loss and sometimes encourages new growth, but it takes time to notice.

This kind of medication doesn’t always work as well for older men, and you have to keep taking it to maintain the results.

Rare side effects include lower sex drive, trouble with erections, or a higher risk of prostate cancer. Pregnant women shouldn’t handle broken or crushed tablets.

Doctors might suggest other medicines like spironolactone or dutasteride in certain cases. They’ll decide based on what’s causing your hair loss.

Medication	Who Can Use It	How It Is Used	Possible Side Effects
Minoxidil	Men & Women	Applied to the scalp	Scalp redness, unwanted hair growth nearby
5-alpha-reductase inhibitor	Men	Taken by mouth	Sexual changes, possible prostate issues
Potassium-sparing diuretic (anti-androgen)	Certain Women	Taken by mouth	Dizziness, high potassium
5-alpha-reductase inhibitor	Men (off-label)	Taken by mouth	Similar to 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor

Corticosteroid shots or creams sometimes help with conditions like alopecia areata. For more stubborn cases, doctors could recommend other prescription medicines, like immunotherapy.

Transplanting Hair for Restoration

If hair loss mostly affects the top of your head, hair transplant surgery might be an option. The doctor moves hair from areas where it’s thicker (usually the sides or back) to spots where it’s thinning.

There are two main ways to do this:

Micrografts/Minigrafts: Small groups of hairs are moved.
Strip Harvesting: The doctor takes a strip of scalp, then divides it into smaller grafts.

You don’t need to stay in the hospital, and you’ll get medicine to keep you comfortable. Risks include swelling, bleeding, bruising, or infection. Sometimes, you’ll need more than one procedure to get the look you want.

Keep in mind, even after surgery, you might still lose hair in other areas due to genetics. Insurance usually doesn’t cover these surgeries. Some individuals just go with wigs or other hairpieces as a non-surgical fix.

Light-Based Treatments for Hair Growth

Low-level laser treatments have FDA clearance as an option for genetic hair thinning in both men and women. You’ll find laser combs, caps, or helmets that go right on your scalp a few times a week.

A handful of small studies say laser therapy might help boost the number of hairs, but honestly, experts want to see more research on long-term effects and safety.

The treatment doesn’t hurt, but results can really vary. You can combine this with other methods, like minoxidil.

Treating hair loss often means mixing and matching approaches. The best plan depends on what’s causing the problem, your age, and what you’re hoping to achieve.

Everyday Care and Simple Remedies

You’ve got options for handling hair loss from stress, illness, cancer treatment, or nutrition problems like low iron, zinc, or vitamin D. Try gentler hairstyles, skip tight ponytails, and avoid harsh chemicals or heat when you can.

Volumizing products and lighter coloring can help hide thin spots. Chatting with a hair stylist might help, or you can use wigs and extensions for extra coverage.

Getting Ready for Your Visit

A little prep can make your doctor’s appointment smoother. Gather some key info ahead of time.

Write Down Major Events: Make a note of big life changes or stressful moments that might connect to your hair loss.
List Medications: Jot down all the medicines, vitamins, and supplements you’re taking.
Prepare Wuestions: Create a list of things to ask your doctor, putting the most important ones first.

Some questions you might want to ask:

What might be causing this?
Do I need more tests?
Will this go away or is it permanent?
Should I change any daily habits?
What treatments do you recommend?
Do I need to see a specialist, and will insurance cover it?
Are there cheaper options?

Here’s a handy table to organize your info:

Information to Prepare	Details to Include
Major Life Events	Stressful experiences, recent changes
Medicines & Supplements	Names, doses, how often you take them
Questions for the Doctor	List them in order of importance

What the Doctor Might Ask

At your appointment, the doctor will probably have a bunch of questions to get a better picture. You can save time if you think about these ahead of time.

When did you first notice the problem?
Is it getting better, worse, or staying the same?
Does it come and go, or is it always there?
Are certain areas more affected?
Does anyone in your family have similar issues?
Have you had this before?
What medications or supplements are you taking?
Has anything helped or made it worse?

If you’re ready to answer these, it’ll help your doctor plan next steps or treatments. Bringing notes or a list can keep things focused.

Hair Loss – Diagnosis and Treatment