Hair Loss

There are numerous causes for hair loss also called alopecia which include:

  • Internal causes
    • thyroid problems
    • severe anemia
    • elevated testosterone hormone (the male hormone)
    • Lupus
  • Heredity-History of hair loss in your mother, father, grandparents or siblings
  • Stress- both emotional and physical
  • Damage from hair care practices
    • tight braids or ponytails
    • weaves (both bonded and sewn-in)
    • chemical over-processing (relaxers, perms, color)
  • Medications
  • Recent Surgery or Illnesses

To investigate hair loss, many pieces of information are helpful:

  • Extensive Hair Care History- including how you have cared for your hair since childhood
  • Hair and scalp examination
  • Hair pull test- yes, we may pull your hair
  • Blood work- complete blood count (CBC), iron, thyroid tests, DHEA, testosterone, zinc, ANA (if autoimmune disease, like lupus, is suspected)
  • Scalp Biopsy
    • A biopsy is the removal of skin from the scalp for the purpose of tissue examination and cell identification.
    • The scalp is numbed in two small areas with lidocaine, which is a local anesthetic.
    • After waiting 30-45 minutes for the numbing medication to work, two small (4-millimeter sized) “cookie-cutter” samples are taken
    • A stitch or two (sutures) are placed in the scalp and need to remain for 10-12 days. (Note: you will not fell the stitches going in)
    • The biopsy will allow a pathologist to examine your hair and more importantly, hair follicles for possible inflammation or damage.
    • Scalp biopsy results are usually reported in 3 weeks.

There are numerous causes of alopecia. The treatment plan will depend on the type of hair loss you have. Some treatments may include:

  • Topical Steroids or cortisone creams applied to the scalp
  • Steroid (cortisone) injections into the scalp
  • Anti-inflammatory medications by mouth (commonly antibiotics)
  • Topical Minoxidil (Rogaine) solutions
  • Medications by mouth to decrease specific hormones

Thank you for having the confidence in us to determine the cause of your hair loss. We ask you to be patient while we perform the appropriate testing for diagnosis of your hair loss.