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The thick, long, pigmented hair of the scalp, beard and body (after puberty). Pattern loss progressively shrinks terminal scalp hairs into thin vellus hair
The thick, long, pigmented hair of the scalp, beard and body (after puberty). Pattern loss progressively shrinks terminal scalp hairs into thin vellus hairs; restoring terminal-hair calibre and density is the measure of a treatment working.
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Sources: AAD ↗
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Not medical advice. General education only; it does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a licensed professional. Consult a board-certified dermatologist before starting, stopping or changing any treatment.
⚠️ When to see a doctor — don’t self-treat
- Sudden patchy or circular bald spots
- Redness, scaling, pus, pain or itch (possible scarring alopecia — treat urgently)
- Broken hairs or rapid loss
- Loss with body-wide signs (weight loss, fatigue, cycle changes, acne, extra hair)
- Loss right after a new medication
- Any hair loss in a child