Diagnosing and Treating Hair Loss

The 2009 review "Diagnosing and treating hair loss" emphasized the emotional impact of hair loss on patients. It discussed various types of hair loss, including focal and diffuse, which can be further categorized into scarring and nonscarring alopecia. Scarring alopecia was recommended to be evaluated by a dermatologist. The cause of focal hair loss could be diagnosed by the appearance of the patch and examination for fungal agents, with a scalp biopsy being necessary in unclear cases. Alopecia areata, characterized by smooth hairless patches, was noted to have a high spontaneous rate of resolution. Tinea capitis was described as causing erythematous and scaly patches of alopecia. Male and female pattern hair losses were recognizable and could be treated with topical minoxidil and finasteride in men. Sudden hair loss was usually due to telogen effluvium or could be diffuse alopecia areata. In the case of telogen effluvium, hair was expected to regrow once the precipitating cause was removed.