Does this look like hair loss?

Question

Hi. Today I discovered after shower this tiny area, I don’t even know how to call it, with less hair. It’s not at the crown or at the temple and it got me very worried. As far as I know, I didn’t have it before, but my mom says I had this since birth. Funny thing is, just yesterday I was examining my hair in the mirror and saw nothing. I would like to know if this is some sort of hair loss or not, if I should worry or start looking to make an appointment to see a dermatologist. The rest of the hair looks alright, no thinning or other signs.

Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD · Answer

I can understand why discovering an area with less hair would be concerning, especially if you hadn't noticed it before. The good news is that, based on your description alone, it does not necessarily mean you are developing hair loss.

One detail that stands out is that your mother remembers this area being present since birth. If that's accurate, it makes a congenital variation in hair density much more likely than a newly developed condition. Many people have small areas of naturally lower hair density or a slightly different hair growth pattern that become noticeable only under certain lighting, after a shower, or when the hair is parted differently.

The fact that you examined your hair the day before and didn't notice anything also suggests this may have become visible because your hair was wet or lying in a different direction. Wet hair tends to separate and expose more of the scalp, making normal variations appear much more prominent.

It's also reassuring that you haven't noticed thinning elsewhere, increased hair shedding, or recession at the temples or crown. Those are the features we typically look for with common forms of hair loss.

That said, it's worth keeping an eye on the area. If you notice that it begins to enlarge, becomes completely smooth or hairless, or you start experiencing increased shedding or additional patches, then it would warrant further evaluation. Likewise, if the area develops redness, scaling, itching, or tenderness, those symptoms could point to an underlying scalp condition.

For now, I would avoid repeatedly checking the area each day, as normal differences in lighting and hair positioning can make it appear to change when it really hasn't. Taking a clear photograph under the same lighting every few months is a much more reliable way to monitor whether there is any true progression.

Based on what you've shared, this sounds more consistent with a longstanding variation in hair density than a sudden onset of hair loss, which is certainly reassuring.

Does this look like hair loss?

Answers (1)

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