Questions the hair loss specialist will ask

During the initial evaluation the specialist should ask you a series of questions to help him or her find out what could be causing the loss or thinning of your hair. Not all questions you are asked will seem relevant, though often the answer is needed to rule out certain things.

How Long Have You Been Losing Hair?

Often the trigger of hair loss occurs between four and sixteen weeks (an average of three months) previous to you seeing the hair falling out. For instance, if you see a hair falling out when washing your hair in, say, June, that hair probably stopped growing in March. This is because when the hair goes into the resting (telogen) phase, it usually takes this amount of time for it to move into the falling out (exogen) stage.

Has the Hair Loss Been Continuous?

The answer to this question will indicate whether the cause has been continuously, or only periodically, affecting the hair cycle. Continuous influences could be genetic or a chronic general health condition. Periodic loss could indicate a dietary or stress influence.