Questions Your Doctor May Ask - and Why!
During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in his assesment of the symptom: Hair loss.
These may include a physical examination or other medical tests.
Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing
your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information
you can share with your doctor may help them with their diagnosis.
Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:
- How long have you had problems with hair loss?
Why: to determine if acute or chronic.
- Is the hair loss focal or diffuse?
- If the hair loss is focal, is there a rash in the area of hair loss?
Why: If rash is present must consider tinea capitis, lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis. If rash is not present, should consider alopecia areata, syphilis, burns and other injuries to the skin.
- Is there a family history of male pattern baldness?
Why: i.e. receding hair line at the front, especially each side which results in an M-shaped recession. Following this, a bald spot may appear on the crown.
- Is there a family history of female pattern baldness?
Why: e.g. diffuse thinning of the hair on top of the head.
- Is there a simple reason for hair loss?
Why: e.g. normal aging, excessive shampoo or hair drying, excessively tight hair accessories, poor diet.
- Have you recently been pregnant?
Why: e.g. hair gets stronger during pregnancy and then falls out after the birth.
- Has there been recent "crash dieting" ?
Why: "crash" dieting is a common cause of transient increased shedding of normal hair.
- Is there a compulsion to pull out one's own hair?
Why: may suggest trichotillomania.
- Past medical history?
Why: e.g. hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, hyperpituitarism may be associated with diffuse hair loss; vitiligo, hypoparathyroidism, Addison's disease, Hashimoto's disease and myasthenia gravis may be associated with alopecia areata; recent significant medical illness especially if associated with fever is a common cause of transient increased shedding of normal hair.
- Medications?
Why: e.g. anticoagulant drug therapy (heparin and warfarin), cancer chemotherapy, some gout medications, some arthritis medications, some antidepressant medications, high dose Vitamin A or retinoids may cause hair loss; discontinuing or changing type of oral contraceptive pill is a common cause of transient increased shedding of normal hair.
Questions your doctor may ask about related symptoms:
Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse
your condition. These may include:
- If female pattern baldness, are there signs of androgen excess?
Why: e.g. acne, excess hairiness (of genitals, nipples, abdomen and face), irregular periods, deepening of the voice, enlarged clitoris - may suggest endocrine dysfunction.
- Symptoms of menopause?
Why: e.g. hot flushes, night sweats, heart palpitations, lightheadedness, dry vaginal, dry skin, headaches and sometimes diffuse hair loss.
- Symptoms of chronic Vitamin A excess?
Why: e.g. bone or joint pain, hair loss, dryness and fissures of the lips, poor appetite, itchy skin, weight loss, low grade fever.
- Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism
Why: e.g. preference for cooler weather, increased appetite, heart palpitations, increased sweating, nervousness, irritability, diarrhea, lack of menstrual periods.
- Symptoms of hypothyroidism?
Why: e.g. husky voice, tiredness, weight gain, constipation, cold intolerance, loss of hair.
» Next page: Types of Hair loss
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