Where To Go For Help

Because there are many potential causes of excessive hair loss, you should consult a board certified dermatologist to investigate the cause of your alopecia and discuss your treatment options. Your doctor will ask questions about your family's history of baldness. He or she may also want to examine a few hairs under a microscope or check the scalp for signs of skin damage. You may be asked questions about your diet, hair-care procedures, medications (including vitamins and herbal supplements) that you take, and recent illnesses. In some cases, your doctor may order blood tests or a skin biopsy (taking a small sample of tissue for examination) to help make a diagnosis. He or she may also ask you to monitor the number of hairs lost during a day, by collecting and counting as many as possible. They may even conduct a "pull" test to determine how readily your hair is released by the follicle. It's very important to investigate all potential causes of your condition before deciding on a course of treatment.