Hair loss: types, causes, tests, treatment and when to see a doctor
Normal shedding versus hair loss, the common types in men and women, the tests that find a cause, the treatments that have evidence, and what to avoid.
Also known as: Alopecia
What hair loss is
Everyone sheds hair every day as part of the normal hair growth cycle, and most of it grows back. Hair loss, or alopecia, is when shedding increases noticeably, hair becomes thinner, or bald patches appear. It can affect the scalp alone or the whole body, and it can be temporary or long-lasting.
The common types are:
- Pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) — the most common type; in men a receding hairline and thinning crown, in women a widening parting and thinning on top, with the front hairline usually kept
- Telogen effluvium — sudden, diffuse shedding that starts a few months after a stressor such as fever, illness, surgery, childbirth, crash dieting or severe stress; it usually recovers
- Alopecia areata — round, smooth bald patches caused by the immune system attacking hair follicles
- Traction alopecia — thinning at the hairline from tight braids, ponytails, buns or extensions
- Scarring alopecias — rarer conditions that destroy follicles permanently and need early treatment
- Tinea capitis — a fungal scalp infection, mainly in children, causing scaly patches with broken hairs
Symptoms
- Increased shedding — more hair on the pillow, comb or in the shower drain
- Thinning at the crown or on top of the head
- A receding hairline at the temples
- A widening parting
- Round or oval bald patches, sometimes in the beard or eyebrows
- Broken hairs, scaling, redness, itching or pain on the scalp
Redness, pain, pus or scarring on the scalp with hair loss needs prompt assessment, because some causes can permanently damage follicles.
Causes and who is at risk
Hair loss often has more than one contributor:
- Genes and hormones, which drive pattern hair loss
- Thyroid problems, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and other hormonal conditions
- Iron deficiency, low protein intake, rapid weight loss and some vitamin deficiencies
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Illness with high fever, including dengue, typhoid and COVID-19
- Some medicines, chemotherapy and stopping hormonal contraceptives
- Autoimmune conditions
- Tight hairstyles, harsh chemical treatments, and frequent heat styling
How it is diagnosed
A dermatologist will ask when the loss started, the pattern, any recent illness or stress, diet, medicines, periods and family history, and will do a scalp examination. A gentle pull test checks how easily hairs come out.
Trichoscopy, using a handheld magnifier, shows the hair shafts and follicles and helps distinguish between types. Blood tests may include a blood count, iron stores, thyroid function, vitamin levels and, in women with irregular periods or acne, hormone tests. A small scalp biopsy is sometimes needed when the diagnosis is unclear or scarring alopecia is suspected.
Which doctor to see
A dermatologist is the specialist for hair and scalp disorders. An endocrinologist may help when thyroid disease, PCOS or another hormonal condition is involved. See a doctor if you have sudden or patchy loss, loss with scalp symptoms, loss in a child, or loss that is worrying you.
You can find dermatologists in Bengaluru and endocrinologists on The Doctor Index, each with a registration you can check.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the type and cause. Correcting a cause, such as iron deficiency or a thyroid problem, may be enough. Telogen effluvium usually settles by itself once the trigger has passed, though regrowth takes months.
Pattern hair loss
Minoxidil, applied to the scalp or sometimes taken by mouth on prescription, can slow loss and regrow some hair in men and women. Finasteride tablets, prescribed for men, reduce the hormone that shrinks follicles. In women, certain hormone-blocking medicines may be used. These treatments take several months to show results and need to be continued; stopping usually leads to loss of the regained hair. Finasteride and some other hormone medicines must not be used by women who are or may become pregnant.
Alopecia areata
Many small patches regrow on their own. Steroid injections into the patches, steroid creams and other treatments can speed regrowth. For extensive alopecia areata, a dermatologist may consider tablets that suppress the immune system, including newer JAK inhibitors.
Procedures
A hair transplant, which moves follicles from the back of the scalp to thinning areas, can help stable pattern hair loss. It should be done by a qualified surgeon in a properly equipped facility. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections are widely offered; the evidence is mixed, and your dermatologist will advise based on your situation.
Living with hair loss
Be gentle with your hair: avoid tight hairstyles, harsh chemical treatments and frequent high-heat styling. Eat a balanced diet with enough protein and iron. Hair loss can affect confidence and mood; wigs, hair fibres, scarves and styling can help while treatment works. Talk to someone if it is getting you down.
When it is urgent
Hair loss is not usually an emergency. Call 112 or 108 for difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or a severe rash after starting a new medicine. See a doctor promptly for hair loss with fever, a painful, swollen or pus-filled scalp, or sudden widespread loss of hair from the whole body.
Questions to ask at your appointment
- What type of hair loss do I have?
- Could a medical condition, deficiency or medicine be causing it?
- Which tests do I need?
- Which treatment would suit me, and how long before I see results?
- What happens if I stop treatment?
- Is a hair transplant or another procedure appropriate for me?
Common questions
Questions people ask
- How much hair fall is normal?
- Shedding a moderate number of hairs every day is normal, and you may notice more after washing or combing. It becomes a concern when shedding is clearly more than usual for several weeks, hair is visibly thinner, or bald patches appear.
- Does oiling the scalp prevent hair loss?
- Oiling can make hair feel softer and reduce breakage, but there is no good evidence that it prevents pattern hair loss or regrows hair. Vigorous massage and very hot oil can damage hair. Treatments with evidence should be discussed with a dermatologist.
- Is hair loss after dengue or typhoid permanent?
- Usually not. A high fever or serious illness can trigger telogen effluvium, with heavy shedding starting a few months later. It typically stops on its own, and the hair regrows over several months. See a doctor if it continues or patches appear.
- Can women use minoxidil?
- Yes. Minoxidil applied to the scalp is used by women with pattern hair loss and can slow thinning and regrow some hair. It should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. A dermatologist can advise on the right form and how long to try it.
This condition is usually assessed by a dermatologist. Every profile shows the doctor’s registration and what has been checked.
Dermatologists in Bangalore
A few dermatologists listed on The Doctor Index. They are shown because of their speciality, not a stated interest in Hair Loss; ask the clinic whether the doctor sees it.
Related conditions
Practical reading
All postsSources
- MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine — Hair Loss
- American Academy of Dermatology — Hair loss resource centre
- MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine — Hair Loss — Public-domain health-topic summary
- Human Phenotype Ontology Consortium — terminology definitions — HPO licence; definitions reproduced without alteration
Hair loss: types, causes, tests, treatment and when to see a doctor is original text by The Doctor Index; the compiled source draft was used for research. Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Orphadata Science: Free access data from Orphanet. © INSERM 1999; July 2026 data, CC BY 4.0. This product uses the Human Phenotype Ontology (hp/releases/2026-09-01). Only sources listed for this article apply. Source material has been selected and arranged; HPO definitions are reproduced without alteration. No source organisation endorses this compilation. Köhler S et al. The Human Phenotype Ontology project: linking molecular biology and disease through phenotype data. Nucleic Acids Research 2014;42(D1):D966–D974. doi:10.1093/nar/gkt1026.
General information, not advice about your situation. Errors can be reported through the corrections process. Reference TDI-C-1072.