Questions Your Doctor May Ask - and Why!
During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in his assesment of the symptom: Pubic 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 pubic hair loss?
Why: to determine if acute or chronic.
- Are there other areas of the body involved in hair loss?
Why: Pubic hair loss may occur for many of the same reasons as any hair loss. See Hair_loss.
- Is the hair loss from the pubic area focal or diffuse?
- If the hair loss from the pubic area is focal, is there a rash in the area of hair loss?
Why: If rash is present must consider tinea, lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis. If rash is not present, should consider alopecia areata, syphilis, burns and other injuries to the pubic skin.
- Have you recently been pregnant?
Why: e.g. all types of 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.
- Past history of alopecia areata?
Why: recurrent attacks of alopecia areata is a poor prognostic sign for hair regrowth.
- Past medical history?
Why: 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 pubic 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 diffuse 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:
- 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. May be associated with diffuse e hair loss or with alopecia areata.
- Symptoms of Addison's disease?
Why: symptoms are often vague but may include e.g. weight loss, loss of appetite, tiredness, weakness, fever, depression, lack of menstrual periods, impotence, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, confusion, fainting, abdominal pain, constipation, muscle aches. May be associated with alopecia areata-type hair loss.
- Symptoms of vitiligo?
Why: e.g. white or off-white patches of pigment loss are usually symmetrical and ring-shaped in outline. The areas enlarge peripherally. The initial areas of involvement often include the fingers, hands, face and genitalia. May also be associated with white or prematurely grey hair or patchy hair loss. Onset may be precipitated by physical trauma, illness, emotional stress, following the death of a relation or following sunburn.
- Symptoms of Myasthenia gravis?
Why: e.g. easy muscle fatigability especially eyelids, neck, shoulders, lower legs and trunk, droopy eyelids, double vision, weak voice. May be associated with alopecia areata-type hair loss.
» Next page: Symptom combinations for Pubic hair loss
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