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The Specialist Should Look at Your Scalp |
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It is important for the specialist to look at the scalp to see whether there is any flaking, itching, redness, acne-like breakouts, or other lesions. Although a lot of scalp conditions don't cause hair loss and are just cosmetically annoying, some can increase hair shedding or indicate what is causing the hair-loss problem.
You should be asked whether you have any periodic scalp tenderness (called trichodynid). The scalp can be sensitive for many reasons, so it is important for the specialist to ascertain the possible cause.
If you are in doubt about any scalp condition, or if your scalp feels constantly tender for any length of time (such as more than a few days), I suggest you see a specialist.
The Specialist Should Show Empathy
The specialist should be concerned about your condition. You're worried about losing hair, and this can often lead to anxiety and depression. The last thing you need is to be told that "It's all in your head" or "You've still got plenty of hair, so don't worry." The amount of hair that you've lost is relative to you, not other patients of the specialist. Also, you want to make sure that every possibility is explored in finding why you
are losing your hair. Because hair loss is not a life-threatening illness, many physicians are indifferent. Yet hair loss often affects your quality of life, so it's important that your concerns are taken seriously. |
