Baldness? Alopecia? Is my hair pattern normal and what treatments can I get? (Photos)

Question

Am I experiencing mild alopecia/ baldness. Is my hair pattern normal and what treatments can I get. I've experienced massive hair loss starting from age 13.

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Hi! Thank you for your question regarding alopecia, baldness and which treatments you can get. You should have blood work done and see your primary care physician to find the root cause of your hair loss. However, Platelet-Rich Plasma, or PRP, treatments are a great option for hair loss and hair that is thinning. PRP injections have very mild risk and downtime. PRP influences hair growth and makes hair follicles stronger. We draw your blood, spin it down in a centrifuge, and extract the PRP. Then, the PRP is injected in your scalp. The PRP treatment takes about 30 minutes. Some patients experience mild tenderness in the treated areas for 1-2 days. Tylenol can be taken for any discomfort. You should plan at least 3 treatments, 1 month apart to start.

Robert Nettles, MD · Answer

There are 3 general patterns of hairloss which most commonly have genetics at the core of cause:
1. Front recession - where all hairs in a the follicles are impacted in unison one row at a time going backwards from the front.  This can occur across the whole front or primarily in the temples causing a widows peak.
2. Crown balding - works similarly but starts in the crown and thins in circles expanding outwards.
3. Diffuse thinning - where follicles en-mass generally over the whole top of the head lose hairs one at a time.  Over time as each follicle has less hairs the coverage becomes very thin and the scalp becomes more and more visible.
Your pictures look like this last pattern.

Note that what I described above with regard to hair loss patterns are symptoms and not causes of hair loss.  In order to be able to treat these patters you must have an accurate diagnosis.
What I have found is that unless you treat everything contributing to your hair loss you wont have complete success.
The best way to understand all the factors causing your hair loss is through the Biochemical Report Card labs which identify not only all the biomarkers which lead to hair loss but also provide an assessment of your overall health and wellbeing.

Rosa B. Lipin, MD · Answer

Without knowing your age, gender, and more information about your hair loss pattern, etc. it is hard to say. I would advise you to meet with a Dermatologist or Facial Plastic Surgeon who specializes in hair restoration-- often these two specialists will work together to diagnose and treat the underlying cause. Often, a dermatologist will advise for a biopsy to ensure we know the diagnosis for the hair loss, and rule out some conditions. Once certain conditions can be ruled out, and a full history and physical are taken, there are medications, topical medications, and minimally invasive treatments we can recommend for you specifically.

Jeff Donovan, MD, PhD · Answer

You are experiencing hair loss. However determining all the precise reasons requires a proper review of your story from birth until today and examination of the scalp. Androgenetic alopecia is likely one of the diagnoses but other diagnoses might be present too and require a trichoscopic examination to confirm or refute them. Blood tests are needed for every female but the exact tests you will need can only be ascertained once your story is fully reviewed and scalp properly examined.

Sait Gokhan Bircan, MD. · Answer

Hi! You should start from making a blood test to find a reason of your problem to get out of it. Here is a list of it: 1.Determination of the level of thyroid hormones (TSH, free T4, AT to TPO);2. Complete blood count with leukoformula (CBC);3. Analysis for latent iron deficiency (ferritin, serum iron, TIBS) and 25-OH-vitamin D, biotin, zinc.
Additional anazysis for hair loss1. Biochemical blood test: ALT, AST, GGT, SHB, bilirubin, glucose, alpha-amylase, urea, creatinine, protein, albumin;2. Additional tests for hormones: free T3, antibodies to thyroglobulin, cortisol;3. Tests for sex hormones:in women - estradiol, testosterone, DHEA-S, DHT, LH, FSH, 17-OP, progesterone, prolactin.4. Ultrasound of the thyroid gland.5. Consultation of an endocrinologist and / or gynecologist.
Also you can do prp and mesotherapy treatments. it might help to stop the hair loss or make it slow but it probably won't return your old hairs. In this case you'll need hair transplantation to cover up the problem area.

Samer Muala, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

I highly recommend a consultation as you may be a candidate for prescription medications and treatments including PRP that can bring about great results in many patients with similar conditions.

Reuel Aspacio, MD, FAAD - Account Suspended · Answer

Hello! Thank you for your questions and photos. Unfortunately it is hard to evaluate your hair and scalp through this forum and the photos provided. It is important to note that there are different types of hair loss in which there are different causes. For example: alopecia areata (immune mediated) vs. androgenetic alopecia (genetic). Treatment is determined based on the type and cause of hair loss you are experiencing. I recommend seeing a board certified dermatologist so they can evaluate your scalp more closely and discuss types of treatments that may be appropriate for you. Good luck and take care!

Baldness? Alopecia? Is my hair pattern normal and what treatments can I get? (Photos)

Answers (7)

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