Hair loss deserves a diagnosis and treatment plan.

The visit begins with history: when the change started, how it has progressed, family history, medications, recent illness, surgery, pregnancy or weight change, and how you care for your hair.

Then the scalp and hair are examined, usually with a dermatoscope, along with a gentle pull test. Laboratory work is often useful. When a scarring process is suspected, a scalp biopsy may be recommended — because follicles lost to scarring cannot be recovered, and timing matters.

• Androgenetic alopecia — hormonal and hereditary thinning, the most common pattern in both men and women
• Telogen effluvium — diffuse shedding after illness, surgery, stress, childbirth or rapid weight loss, including on GLP-1 medications
• Alopecia areata — immune-mediated patchy hair loss
• Scarring alopecias — including frontal fibrosing alopecia and central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, which need prompt evaluation
• Scalp conditions — seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis or infection affecting hair growth
• Nutritional and medical contributors — including thyroid disease and iron deficiency

• Topical minoxidil, anti-inflammatories, ketoconazole, tretinoin and topical JAK inhibitors
• Oral minoxidil, spironolactone, finasteride or dutasteride, and JAK inhibitors for selected diagnoses
• Microneedling with platelet-rich plasma or exosomes
• Intralesional corticosteroid injections
• Low-level light therapy / red light therapy
• Treatment of any underlying scalp or medical condition

Hair grows slowly. Most treatments need four to six months before their effect can be judged fairly, and photographs help track change that is hard to see day to day. Many treatments work only while they are being used, and not all hair loss can be reversed — we will be straightforward with you about what is realistic.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) uses a small sample of your own blood, processed in our ProGen PRP system to concentrate the platelets that carry growth factors, then placed back into the thinning areas of your scalp by fine injection, often followed by microneedling.

The best candidates have thinning hair rather than complete baldness, and more recent loss rather than long-standing change. Treatments need to be repeated to be effective — a common program is one session a month for three months, followed by booster sessions. After a session, avoid aspirin and anti-inflammatory pain relievers for about two weeks, since they may interfere with the treatment's intended effect.

PRP may decrease shedding or produce thicker-looking hair, but not every patient benefits, and the exact mechanism is still being studied. Its use for hair growth is off-label, and it is not covered by insurance — hair loss care at our practice is cash pay. We will discuss whether PRP makes sense for your specific diagnosis before you commit to a program, and individual results vary.

This page is general education and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and it does not create a physician–patient relationship. Individual circumstances differ; please discuss your own skin with a qualified clinician. If you are having a medical emergency, call 911.

Insurance does not cover the treatment of androgenetic alopecia or telogen effluvium — the two most common causes of hair loss. Because of that, hair loss visits at our practice are cash pay: $250 for an initial visit and $150 for follow-up visits.

Certain diagnostic procedures, such as a scalp biopsy, may be billable to insurance. Our office will explain what applies to your situation before anything is scheduled.

See our insurance and billing page for the full policy, or read more about hair loss as a condition.

This page is general education and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and it does not create a physician–patient relationship. Individual circumstances differ; please discuss your own skin with a qualified clinician. If you are having a medical emergency, call 911.