Unusual Cause for Baldness Inspires the Muse
July 1993
in “
JAMA
”
TLDR Hair loss can be a sign of syphilis, and self-diagnosing based on ads can be risky.
A 29-year-old man sought a prescription for Rogaine (minoxidil) after seeing television advertisements, wanting to bypass a medical examination. He presented with diffuse hair thinning and telogen hairs, but no other symptoms. Despite denying recent illness, his serological test for syphilis was reactive, indicating that his hair loss was the only clinical sign of secondary syphilis. This case highlighted the potential for direct consumer advertising to lead patients to self-diagnose and demand specific treatments without proper medical evaluation.
