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Alopecia in women; Baldness - female; Hair loss in women; Androgenetic alopecia in women
Hair thinning is different from that of male pattern baldness. In female pattern baldness:
Itching or skin sores on the scalp are generally NOT seen.
Female pattern baldness is usually diagnosed based on:
The doctor will examine you for other signs of too much male hormone (androgen), such as:
A skin biopsy or other procedures or blood tests may be used to diagnose skin disorders that cause hair loss.
Analyzing the hair itself does not accurately diagnose nutritional or similar causes of hair loss, although it may reveal substances such as arsenic or lead.
Habif TP. Hair diseases. In: Habif TP, ed. Clinical Dermatology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2009:chap 24.
Mousney AL, Reed SW. Diagnosis and treating hair loss. Am Fam Physician. 2009;80:356-362.
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