3 Ways a Dermatologist Can Help You With Hair Loss

September 6, 2024

Have you recently noticed more hair shedding than usual? You might be wondering: Can a dermatologist help with hair loss?

It’s a great question because while hair loss can have underlying medical causes, it’s not necessarily obvious what doctor to see for thinning hair.

As for the answer? Most dermatologists have the knowledge and expertise to help you with hair thinning, whether you’re dealing with male pattern baldness or stress-induced hair fall.

Below, we cover how a dermatologist can help you return to a healthy hair growth cycle, how they diagnose hair-related conditions, and what they might prescribe for hair thinning.

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3 Ways a Dermatologist Can Help With Hair Loss

It’s true. Dermatologists are hair specialists — in fact, they’re the best medical professionals to go to for hair help.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, dermatologists spend four years earning their bachelor’s degree, four years in medical school, one year as an intern and three years minimum as a dermatology resident learning how to diagnose and treat various skin and hair disorders.

When it comes to your hair, specifically, a dermatologist can:

Determine what’s causing your hair loss
Provide guidance on how to prevent further hair loss
Recommend the best course of treatment or refer you to other doctors for hair loss

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How Do Dermatologists Diagnose Hair Loss?

A dermatologist’s first goal is to determine the reasons for your hair loss. When you visit a dermatologist for a hair loss diagnosis, they’ll do the following:

Ask you some basic questions

They’ll typically ask about:

Your medical history
Any medicines you’re taking
Your lifestyle

They’ll also inquire about how your hair loss has progressed over time — is it new, or has it been gradually worsening?

Your age matters, too. The prevalence of male pattern baldness increases with age, so while it’s possible to begin seeing hair thinning in your 20s or 30s, the likelihood you’ll experience it goes up with each decade of life.

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Do a physical exam of your scalp

They’ll examine your scalp to determine the type of thinning you’re experiencing. Different types of hair loss appear physically different. Thinning due to male pattern baldness may show up as a receding hairline, while alopecia areata may look more like patchy hair loss.

Your dermatologist may also examine other parts of your body to ensure that the hair loss is localized to your head.

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Run some tests

A dermatologist may pull on your hair to test its health and whether it’s fragile. This is known as a hair pull test. They may also examine the density and shape of your hair strands.

Your dermatologist may recommend blood tests, scalp biopsy, trichoscopy, or other evaluations to rule out hormonal imbalances, mineral and vitamin deficiencies, and other health issues or medical conditions that may cause hair loss, such as:

Iron deficiency (anemia)
Thyroid problems
Fungal infection, like ringworm
Hormonal changes
Immune system issues
Steroid use
High blood pressure

All of this testing will provide your healthcare provider with clues about what’s causing your hair loss, helping to determine a diagnosis.

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Possible causes of hair loss

Hair loss in men is commonly associated with the following alopecia types:

Androgenetic alopecia

Male pattern hair loss is hereditary and the most common form of hair loss. It can start anytime after puberty.

In men, androgenic alopecia follows a predictable pattern, hence the name male pattern hair loss. It generally starts with thinning around the temples, which then spreads backward across the head. People with this form of hair loss also have thinning at the crown, which spreads outward in a circle.

A dermatologist who suspects this form of hair loss will ask about your family history of hair loss and whether hair thinning has been gradual or sudden, since male pattern baldness onset is usually slow.

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Telogen effluvium

If your hair is coming out in clumps and you’ve recently experienced trauma or extreme physical or psychological stress, a dermatologist may diagnose you with telogen effluvium.

This is a type of temporary hair loss resulting from severe mental or physical stress.

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Alopecia areata

Alopecia areata is an uncommon immune health-related form of hair loss. If you have this type of hair loss, you’ll experience hair loss all over your body, not just on your scalp.

Because alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease, treatment is different than with other forms of hair loss.

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When to See a Dermatologist for Hair Loss

Even if you’re only just noticing some minor thinning, it’s a good idea to see a healthcare professional as soon as you notice hair loss.

Why?

Some forms of hair loss can be permanent and irreversible. Others are highly treatable with the right medications and therapies. A dermatologist can help identify what’s causing your hair loss and determine the right course of treatment to stop or slow hair loss before it becomes severe.

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Do Dermatologists Treat Hair Loss, and How?

Once dermatologists diagnose hair loss, they can then recommend next steps.

They usually prescribe medications to help prevent further hair thinning and encourage healthy hair growth.

Your dermatologist can also explain what to expect from hair loss medications and how to achieve the best results. Some treatments can take several months to show improvement. And it’s important to be consistent — if you stop using these treatments, your hair loss may resume.

The most effective, FDA-approved treatments for male pattern hair loss are minoxidil foam or solution and oral finasteride.

You can get minoxidil over the counter without a prescription, but finasteride will require a prescription from your dermatologist. Both medications typically have minimal side effects.

Finasteride. The oral medication finasteride is a 5 alpha-reductase type 2 inhibitor, which affects the production of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) — a male hormone that can negatively impact hair health and cause hair loss. Finasteride is FDA-approved as an oral medication but is also available off-label as a topical treatment. It’s especially effective when combined with minoxidil, like in our topical finasteride & minoxidil spray.
Minoxidil. The generic version of Rogaine, Minoxidil works by improving blood flow (and oxygen and nutrient flow) to the hair follicles.

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Receding Hairline

Other treatment options for a receding hairline include:

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP). This injection-based therapy may help stimulate hair growth and increase hair thickness.
Hair growth products like saw palmetto. While hair products can’t necessarily treat hair loss, they may help encourage a healthy hair growth cycle.
Laser therapy. This non-invasive procedure uses low-level lasers to stimulate hair growth.
Hair transplantation. Your dermatologist may recommend this surgical procedure if you have severe, permanent hair loss. It involves taking healthy hair from one part of your scalp and transplanting it in areas where there is thinning.
Other surgical procedures. Hair grafting and scalp reduction are other invasive procedures that help cover bald spots.

A dermatologist can help you find the best treatment for your specific needs.

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Final Words: Dermatologists for Hair Loss

Dermatologists can help you with all your hair care questions, including concerns about hair loss.

If you’re losing hair, remember the big picture as you try to remedy your bald spots:

A healthcare professional can help address your hair loss concerns. Supplements, changes in hairstyles, and hair products can reduce the appearance of hair loss, but an effective treatment plan for hair loss or products for new hair growth should come from a healthcare professional.
Dermatologists have the expertise to help with hair-related issues. A board-certified dermatologist has studied diseases of the hair and skin for many years and can help you determine what’s causing your condition and the best course of treatment.
Effective treatments are available. FDA-approved, research-backed treatments like finasteride and minoxidil can help treat some forms of hair loss. Ask a dermatologist about your hair loss treatment options today.

Worried about the cost of seeing a healthcare professional for hair loss? If pricing is a concern, check out our guide to how much seeing a dermatologist costs, where we explain insurance coverage, and other ways to cover costs.

This article originally appeared on Hims.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.

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