What a scalp specialist should look for

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 trichodynia). 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.