Female Hair Loss: Common Issues and Questions
Female hair loss can be extremely disconcerting. If you have begun to notice your hair is starting to get thinner, it can be difficult to know where to begin to address the issue. You no undoubtedly will have concerns and questions like, how and why did this start? What is causing it? What type of women’s hair loss solutions are available that I can trust? If you are looking to discuss this with your physician you are on the right track. It is possible for your primary doctor to assess and diagnose, or he/she might refer you to a dermatologist or another type of specialist. There are some common question you may have asked when you see your doctor.
When did you first notice female hair loss? It is very likely your doctor will want to know when you started to notice your hair was getting thinner and whether it has been acute or gradual. It would be beneficial for you to write down a few dates before going to your appointment.
- What date you first noticed your hair loss?
- When did you discover your hair loss was becoming more frequent”
- When was the last time you noticed your hair was falling out?
What is happening in your life when you starting noticing your hair loss beginning? Life event such as being pregnant and delivering a baby, experiencing a traumatic event, having surgery, or having a serious illness can all interfere with your normal hair growth cycle. This interference can cause a temporary hair loss. It is very important to inform your doctor of all major events going on in your life to your doctor, to better assist him or her in understanding if your hair loss is temporary or chronic phenomenon.
What medications are you taking? There are some medications that can cause hair loss. Bring a list of all medications and their dosage you were taking at the time you noticed your hair loss beginning.
Where are you noticing the hair loss? The type of hair loss you may be experiencing is very relevant piece of information that your doctor should be aware of. You want to take notice of whether your hair loss is accruing in only one place on your scalp, such as a receding hairline, or if your hair loss is in the center of your scalp. If this is the case, you can refer to the Norwood scale or Ludwig scale for male and female pattern baldness to determine what stage of hair loss you are in. Giving your doctor a family history of hair loss in your family is also very helpful information. If you notice there is not particular pattern to your hair loss but it just falls out in patches or just becomes sparse in different areas you might have a form of alopecia.
Having answers to these questions will greatly help your physician and the conversation with them will be much informative. These answers will assist your doctor in discerned the cause and potential treatments for your hair loss. Your doctor is a great resource so giving them accurate information is important. Remember to also prepare a list of questions that you have for your doctor. And hopefully this will help you get the most out of your appointment.
PK Walsh in Boston, Massachusetts has been serving the needs of women with hair loss and thinning hair for over 30 years. If we can be of any assistance to you in helping you find a non-surgical women’s hair loss solution that meets your needs, we invite you to contact us for a private, confidential hair loss evaluation and consultation.
