Is my crown thinning? Microscopic pictures attached. (Photos)

Question

I purchased a USB microscope and am curious if my crown appears to be thinning here. Donor area picture included for comparison (as I know hairloss is not possible there) Also, does my hair density appear to be low? average? high? would I be a good candidate for a hair transplant if necessary?

Jeff Donovan, MD, PhD · Answer

First, hair loss is possible in the donor area. Lichen planopilaris, alopecia areata, diffuse unpatterned alopecia (DUPA), dissecting cellulitis, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis all commonly affect the donor area. Who said hair loss does not affect the donor area? It sure can. To diagnose hair loss, we need three things: we need the whole story from birth until the present day. That includes medical issues, current and past medications, illnesses, scalp symptoms like itching, burning and pain. We need to know about shedding patterns. We need to know about eyebrows and eyelashes. Second, we need to properly examine the scalp. Sure trichoscopy is important but trichoscopy all over the scalp is important. Your donor area is probably different than it was 15 years ago and that could be due to seborrheic dermatitis or psoriasis or both (sebopsoriasis). You need a good examination. You photos would lead on to believe your donor is thinner than the crown. Is it really? Well that requires a proper examination by a qualified expert. Please don’t view the donor area as being an area that does not have hair loss. That’s where problems start arising in terms of reaching correct diagnoses. Absolutely, hair loss can occur in the donor area. Both scarring and non scarring conditions can affect this area. Rarely androgenetic alopecia in males affects the donor area (we call this DUPA). In females, androgenetic alopecia often affects the donor area.

Is my crown thinning? Microscopic pictures attached. (Photos)

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Is my crown thinning? Microscopic pictures attached. (Photos)

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Everything you need to know about Hair Transplant

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.