TLDR Some people with heavy hair shedding might actually have a hidden form of alopecia, which can be identified by specific hair changes.
In a study of 1,932 patients with hair loss but no clear signs of classical alopecia areata, researchers discovered that some patients might actually suffer from alopecia areata incognita (AAI), which is often misdiagnosed as telogen effluvium (TE) or androgenetic alopecia (AGA). By using a modified wash test, they identified dystrophic anagen hairs—a sign of AAI—in 13 patients (3.2%) with TE, 54 patients (4.4%) with AGA + TE, but in none with pure AGA. Furthermore, 7 patients with TE and 32 with AGA + TE later developed alopecia areata patches within 6 to 9 weeks, while those with AGA did not. These findings suggest that the presence of dystrophic anagen hairs and subsequent development of alopecia patches in patients initially diagnosed with TE could indicate underlying AAI.
12 citations,
February 2010 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” Some people with chronic hair loss may have thyroid autoimmunity.
24 citations,
March 2009 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” Scalp pain is a common symptom in people with active hair loss from telogen effluvium.
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150 citations,
April 2008 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Scalp dermoscopy is good for diagnosing a type of hair loss and helps choose the best spots for biopsy.
63 citations,
October 2005 in “Archives of Dermatology” Shorter, thinner hairs indicate AGA, while longer, thicker hairs suggest CTE; counting and measuring shed hairs helps diagnose hair loss type.
45 citations,
January 1992 in “Dermatology” Half of the patients treated with a specific drug for skin cancer experienced hair loss not related to the drug's dosage.
60 citations,
January 1987 in “Dermatology” Alopecia areata may appear differently depending on the individual's type of hair loss and scalp condition.
89 citations,
March 2018 in “The Journal of Dermatology” Trichoscopy helps diagnose and monitor alopecia areata by looking at a combination of specific hair and scalp features.
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November 2016 in “대한피부과학회지” The document's conclusion cannot be summarized as it is not provided in a language I can understand.
