Diagnosis of Hair Loss

It turns out that there are several hundred recognized hair diseases that can cause hair loss. Most dermatologists will only actually see a very small portion of that, since some are extremely rare, especially depending on where you are located. Less than 1% of the population will have on of these rare hair diseases.

The most common hair diseases are:

• Androgenetic Alopecia
• Alopecia Areata
• Telogen Effluvium
• Trichotillomania Alopecia
• Hirsutism
• Hypertrichosis

To determine the type of hair loss you are experiencing, the dermatologist will use many methods to gather all relevant information. The doctor will ask questions regarding your hair loss history, which would entail lifestyle,family history,etc. They will conduct a visual examination which usually involves a sample of hair,skin, and blood for further testing.

The doctor will first try to determine whether or not you were born with hair loss or if it was acquired later in life

They usually perform microscopic analysis on a couple of the fibers with the roots attached. A hair pull test is common as well to see if the hairs pull out easily from the scalp.

Dermatologists may take a scalp biopsy. A histologist will examine the biopsy in thin sections looking for any evidence of the underlying cause. If it is suspected that the hair condition is the result of yeast, fungi or bacteria, then the doctor will take skin scrapings. These scrapings are then covered in a special stain that bind to fungi or bacteria.

Sometimes your dermatologist may recommend you to an endocrinologist/immunologist for further testing if it is believed that the cause if from some sort of body dysfunction out of the scope of dermatology. It could be hormones or possibly an auto-immune problem.