- 1). Note scalp areas that are balding. Men's androgenetic alopecia typically occurs in the front or top of the head while women's is diffuse along the top.
- 2). Have a complete physical examination by your doctor. Reviewing medical history is crucial for diagnosing a physical rather than genetic cause of baldness.
- 3). Determine through blood and hormone tests whether a hormone imbalance or blood deficiency is causing hair loss. Measuring sex hormones in addition to thyroid hormones could reveal the problem. Testing for blood count, iron deficiencies and syphilis is also helpful.
- 4). Submit to the pull test by allowing your doctor to firmly pull about 60 hairs at a time near your scalp. A normal result is fewer than seven hairs removed per pull. To achieve most accurate results, refrain from shampooing for one day before testing.
- 5). Perform scalp biopsy by allowing your doctor to remove a 4mm scalp section for examination. Scaling, scalp inflammation, follicle size, hair distribution, and strand composition are assessed to determine the type of alopecia. In androgenetic alopecia, follicle size shrinks, causing hair to thin.
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