A dermatologist is the right specialist for most hair and scalp disease. Self-care is fine for mild, slow male-pattern thinning; red-flag patterns should not wait for another bottle of oil.
Book sooner, not later, if hair comes out in round patches, if the scalp hurts, burns, oozes, or shows pustules, if the hairline looks scarred or shiny, if eyebrows or eyelashes go, if you are a child, or if shedding started abruptly after illness, childbirth, or a new drug and is emotionally overwhelming. Women with irregular periods, heavy bleeding, or signs of PCOS deserve a work-up, not only foam. Dark skin and textured hair have specific traction and central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia patterns that general internet advice misses.
Bring a medication list, photos from a year ago, and dates of diets, surgeries, or pregnancies. Ask about trichoscopy and whether a biopsy is needed. Primary-care blood tests (iron, thyroid, others as indicated) pair with dermatology rather than replacing it. Telehealth can start the story; scarring disease still wants in-person light. We are not your doctors. Emergency symptoms — fever with a boggy painful scalp, rapidly spreading infection — belong in urgent care, not a 6-month minoxidil trial.
Try the free self-check →Sources: AGA review (CCID) ↗
FAQ
Can I just start minoxidil without seeing anyone?
Adults sometimes start OTC topical minoxidil for slow, typical male-pattern recession. If the pattern is atypical, female, patchy, or symptomatic, get examined first so you are not treating the wrong disease.
Is a trichologist the same as a dermatologist?
A medical dermatologist can diagnose inflammatory and scarring alopecias, prescribe, and biopsy. ‘Trichologist’ is used loosely and is not the same licence. For disease, pick a physician dermatologist.
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⚠️ 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