Doctors Vs Dermatologist Vs Trichologist
Doctors especially general practitioners do not spend more than a few weeks if any, on conditions concerning the hair and scalp. As they are a secondary sexual function, many doctors will often dismiss cases as it is not essential to health and does not take priority.
Understand, this does not mean that doctors are not qualified to treat these cases as they certainly are, however they usually do not have as in depth knowledge because they take a broader approach to healthcare.
Patients will be treated but may not get a thorough understanding of the cause and treatments available, as a doctors consultation usually lasts less than 15 minutes but with a trichologist you can usually expect to spend up to an hour taking a detailed history and clinical exclamation.
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Why Women Lose Their Hair
From what you read above, youve probably gathered that hair loss is actually excessive hair loss specifically the shift from those normal percentages to a new, imbalanced ratio with more follicles remaining in the telogen phase.
Hair could end up stuck in telogen for many reasons, among them: autoimmune diseases, stress or even trauma to your scalp or body generally, like a major wound or surgery.
Hair loss may also happen due to your genetics or a hormonal imbalance.
There are a few common types of hair loss women experience that a hair loss dermatologist will likely look to diagnose, if need be:
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Androgenetic Alopecia. Male pattern baldness or female pattern hair loss is the most common name for androgenetic alopecia: a condition caused by fluctuations in the levels of your hormones . It typically manifests as women age, and especially as we approach menopause. This is the most common form of hair loss.
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Telogen Effluvium. Telogen effluvium typically appears as a pattern of even thinning across your scalp and is typically caused by a stressor like a major surgery, some bodily trauma, serious illness, and sometimes by giving birth or having radiation. Luckily, telogen effluvium will resolve itself eventually especially after the stressor is addressed.
The lesson here is that not all hair loss is created equal, folks. And different types of hair loss require different treatment strategies.
Why Hair Changes As We Age
Hair gets thinner and loses volume as we age because hair follicles get senescent and simply stop producing hair, said board-certified dermatologist Dr. Kemunto Mokaya. The follicles that produce hair make finer, thinner strands, and this contributes to hair thinning and loss of volume. Hair also grows more slowly as we age.
While both men and women experience hair thinning as a part of aging, female hair loss can also result from hormonal changes. Nutritional gaps in our diet, plus lifestyle factors such as elevated stress, can also affect hair health.
A lot of the age-related hair changes are due to intrinsic factors that we can do nothing about, since they are part of the natural aging process, said Dr. Mokaya. But some of them are also due to extrinsic factors or example, oxidative stress. Oxidative stress from free radicals, UV radiation, chemicals, pollution and toxins weakens the hair follicles and accelerates the aging of hair.
Combating these external factors is the key to healthier, thicker hair at age 50 and beyond.
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The Initial Causes Do Dermatologist Treat Hair Loss
The main cause of hair loss is stress. While most of us shed about 50 to 100 strands of hair daily, we also continue to grow new ones at the same rate. This shedding is normal, and its perfectly natural to replace lost hair with new ones. However, if youre losing hair that is excessively slow or isnt growing back, youre experiencing hair fall. There are many possible causes for this condition, but theres no one single solution.
Tinea capitis, also known as scalp ringworm, is a fungal infection that affects the scalp. Symptoms include bald spots and patches of hair loss. Infection may be caused by fungus, and scaly, red patches may develop. In severe cases, sores may develop on the scalp and oozing pus may be present. Treatment with a prescription may be necessary, but the long-term results of taking these medications are not always permanent.
In some cases, temporary hair loss may be the result of a hormonal imbalance. While some women experience hair loss due to hormonal fluctuations, others may experience permanent loss of hair. These changes can be caused by hormones in the body, such as those produced by the thyroid or by the adrenal glands. In severe cases, the loss of hair is caused by medical conditions. Inflammatory diseases can cause an excess of androgen, a male hormone. High levels of vitamin A in the blood and in the body can also result in hair thinning.
What Is A Dermatologist
A dermatologist is a doctor who specializes in conditions that affect the skin, hair, and nails. These medical experts are able to identify and treat the many thousands of conditions affecting these parts of the body, but the most common conditions they treat include eczema, psoriasis, and skin cancer. Because hair emerges from follicles in the skin, hair loss and hair conditions tend to fall under the expertise of these highly trained specialists.
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What Is Hair Loss Anyway
For starters, losing hair is not inherently a bad thing. Its a natural part of life, regardless of age or sex. We lose somewhere between 50 to 100 strands of hair a day. That sounds like a lot. However, we have over 100,000 strands of hair and many more hair follicles, so daily hair loss is hardly noticeable. When we start losing many more and start seeing bald spots, we know something is wrong. Each hair follicle on our head is going through a stage of growth. These follicles can be in different stages at any point:
In some cases, the rate of new hair growth is not fast enough to replace what was lost, causing baldness. Alopecia is the scientific name for hair loss, and it can happen in several ways and forms. Generally, hair loss can be categorized into thinning hair, receding hair, sudden clumps of hair falling out, or patches around the head. In severe cases, some people can experience full-body hair loss.
Is It Ok To Shave Pubic Hair Without Shaving Cream
Sometimes, you just run out. The key to shaving without shaving cream is to treat your skin even more gently than you would when you shave normally. If you dont have shaving cream handy but you do have a brand new razor available, use it! Use a washcloth to cover the area youre shaving with warm water as you shave.
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Why You Need A Dermatologist For Hair Loss Not A Trichologist
11 Mar 2020
If you are looking for the right person to treat your hair loss its important to know the facts so that you get the very best treatment available. Hair loss can be caused by a whole range of conditions, such as alopecia areata, many different autoimmune diseases, anaemia, thyroid disorders, traction, and baldness. While it can potentially be caused by one of these disorders, female hair loss can also occur as a result of polycystic ovary syndrome after pregnancy and during menopause.
How To Stop Damaging Your Hair
The good news is that simple changes can prevent further hair damage. On this page, youll find 10 common hair-care practices that can damage hair and dermatologists tips that can help you to stop damaging your hair.
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How Often To Use The Derma Roller Or Other Microneedling Device
The frequency of using a microneedling device mainly depends on the sensitivity of your scalp. For instance, some people may bleed easily or develop sensitive reactions to the needles. This means that frequent microneedling is impractical.
Individuals with concurrent dermatological conditions, such as psoriasis or seborrheic dermatitis, will need to consult with a dermatologist before starting the treatment.
If you are not sure of how many times to do microneedling, try starting with 1-2 sessions per week, then adjust accordingly to your scalp condition.
Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy
Platelet rich plasma therapy will require a blood sample to get started. After you have blood drawn, the fluid will be placed into a centrifuge that will separate the blood into different components. The platelets, which are a type of blood cell, will be treated and injected into the affected area of your scalp. Its believed that these platelets can help to stimulate new growth.
Although early research is promising for this approach to hair loss treatment, more studies are needed to know whether this is a safe and effective treatment for male pattern baldness.
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Nonsurgical Treatments: Medications To Treat Alopecia
- Minoxidil: Slows or stops hair loss and can promote hair growth
- Finasteride: Treats male-pattern baldness by stopping the body from producing a male hormone
- Corticosteroids: Stops inflammation caused by autoimmune diseases like alopecia areata
- Topical sensitizers: Deliberately causes an allergic reaction on the scalp that can lead to hair growth
How Do Dermatologists Treat Hair Loss
Just as there are many causes, there are many treatments for hair loss. Dermatologists recommend treating hair loss early, before you lose a lot of hair. Hair loss is harder to treat when a person has already lost an extreme amount of hair.
One or more of the following treatments may be part of your treatment plan.
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How Do Dermatologists Find Out Whats Causing Hair Loss
To pinpoint the cause of your hair loss, a dermatologist begins by gathering information. Your dermatologist will:
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Ask questions. Its important to know how long youve had hair loss and whether it came on quickly.
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Look closely at your scalp, nails, any other area with hair loss. This exam provides vital clues about whats happening.
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Test the health of your hair. Gently pulling on your hair tells your dermatologist a lot about how your hair is growing and whether its prone to breaking.
If your dermatologist suspects that the cause of your hair loss could be a disease, vitamin deficiency, hormone imbalance, or infection, you may need a blood test or scalp biopsy. These tests can be done in your dermatologists office.
Once your dermatologist has this information, its often possible to tell you whats causing your hair loss.
Sometimes, your dermatologist needs more information. This might be the case if someone has more than one cause. For example, a woman may have had a baby a few months ago, and this may be causing obvious hair shedding. She may also have early hereditary loss, which isnt so obvious.
No one hair loss treatment works for everyone
Once your dermatologist finds the cause, your dermatologist will tell you whether treatment is recommended. Sometimes, your hair will regrow on its own, making treatment unnecessary.
Causes And Symptoms Of Alopecia
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder that causes you to lose hair and often leaves little bald spots on your head. Our hair is made up of mostly protein. When our body does not have enough protein, the hairs enter the resting phase. This causes us to lose hair and hair to become brittle and fall out. Alopecia is both hereditary and hormonal. It affects both males and females and can happen at any age. There are many causes related to alopecia. Causes include severe or chronic illness, thyroid disease, low-protein diets, low iron levels and improper hair care. It is also common after childbirth. If hair loss occurs, the hairs may enter a resting phase and are lost without immediate replacement. It could last up to nine months but should resolve itself without treatment. This also may be the case if you have a chronic illness.
Alopecia occurs when hair follicles are attacked by your own body, causing clumps of hair to fall out. While rare, there is a potential to lose all the hair on your head and/or on your entire body. Males are more likely to lose all their hair while women mostly experience thinning. Sometimes the hair grows back for good and other times it grows back and then falls out again shortly after. Unfortunately, alopecia is not curable, but can and should be treated by a dermatologist. During diagnosis, a skin biopsy may be performed and examined to properly diagnose the alopecia.
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Hair Loss: 9 Dermatologist
Yadira G. Morel / Getty Images
Have you been worried that you’re shedding more hair than usual? Do more and more strands seem to be coming loose, or does your hair seem to be thinning at your part? It’s absolutely normal to lose hair regularly. In fact, Gary Goldenberg of Goldenberg Dermatology in New York City says that losing as many as 100 strands a day is standard. But when you start noticing significant hair loss in the shower, on your pillow, or on your brush after brushing, it’s time to visit a dermatologist for evaluation.
To address, assuage, and provide solutions for any hair loss concerns, we reached out to Goldenberg and certified trichologist Gretchen Friese, to give us the 101 on hair loss treatments. “The most common cause for hair thinning and hair loss is genetics,” says Goldenberg. “The genetic male or female pattern hair loss is extremely common and can start to manifest as early as in the 20s.” Read on to learn more about the best hair-loss treatments according to our experts.
Meet the Expert
- Gary Goldenberg is a board-certified dermatologist at Goldenberg Dermatology in New York City.
- Gretchen Friese is a BosleyMD Certified Trichologist in Denver, CO.
Piotr Marcinski / EyeEm / Getty Images
What Treatments Are Available
Once your dermatologist diagnoses your hair loss, they will determine whether treatment could be effective. Treatments can either help hair regrow more quickly or slow future hair loss. Keep in mind that age-related or genetic hair loss may not be reversible.
Patients who have a medical condition causing hair loss, like a thyroid issue or infection, will need to treat that condition before addressing the hair loss. In some cases, your dermatologist will refer you to a specialist for treatment. If you have a medical condition like alopecia areata, the dermatologist may prescribe medications or recommend an over-the-counter treatment.
In-office procedures can also be effective for some patients. These treatments can include corticosteroid injections, laser therapy, and platelet-rich plasma therapy. You may require repeated treatments before seeing improvement in hair growth.
Its also important to mention that your dermatologist may recommend lifestyle changes to prevent future hair loss. This may include changing your diet, as well as avoiding certain hairstyles and hair pieces.
Hair loss can be complicated, but the team at Pacific Dermatology Specialists can diagnose your condition and recommend treatment. Located in Long Beach, CA and a number of other convenient locations, our medical dermatology professionals are committed to helping you look and feel your best. Contact us today to get started.
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