1. Hair Loss Slideshow Pictures
2. Hair and Scalp Slideshow Pictures
3. Take the Hair Loss Quiz!

Medical Author:

Nili N. Alai, MD, FAAD

Nili N. Alai, MD, FAAD

Dr. Alai is an actively practicing medical and surgical dermatologist in south Orange County, California. She has been a professor of dermatology and family medicine at the University of California, Irvine since 2000. She is U.S. board-certified in dermatology, a 10-year-certified fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and Fellow of the American Society of Mohs Surgery.

View Full Profile

Medical Author:

Alan Rockoff, MD

Alan Rockoff, MD

Dr. Rockoff received his undergraduate degree from Yeshiva College with the distinction of Summa Cum Laude. He received his medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. His internship and two years of Pediatric residency were at the Bronx Municipal Hospital Center, followed by training in Dermatology at the combined residency program at Tufts and Boston Universities. Dr. Rockoff is certified by both the American Board of Dermatology and the American Board of Pediatrics.

View Full Profile

Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

View Full Profile

In this Article

• What are causes of hair loss?
• How is hair loss classified?
• What is alopecia areata?
• What is traction alopecia?
• What is trichotillomania?
• What is tinea capitis?
• What is generalized (diffuse) hair loss?
• What is telogen effluvium?
• What is androgenetic alopecia ("male-pattern baldness," "female-pattern baldness")?
• What treatment is there for hair loss in men?
• What other options do I have for hair loss?
• Is hair loss in women different than men?
• What about pregnancy hair loss?
• What specific treatments are there for hair loss in women?
• What vitamins are good for hair loss?
• Can itchy scalp cause hair loss?
• How do I prevent hair loss?
• Hair Loss At A Glance
• View Hair Loss Pictures - Slideshow
• Hair and Scalp Pictures - Slideshow
• Take the Hair Loss Quiz!
• Hair Loss FAQs
• Patient Comments: Hair Loss - Treatments
• Find a local Dermatologist in your town
• Hair Loss Index

This is a small or localized hair loss area caused by repetitive or persistent pulling or force on hair roots. Tight braids and ponytails can pull hard enough on hairs to make them fall out. If this happens, it's best to choose hairstyles that put less pressure on hair roots. The sooner this is done the better to avoid permanent damage.

This refers to the habit of someone voluntarily pulling at their own hairs or twisting them, sometimes without realizing it. The scalp and eyelashes are often affected. Unlike alopecia areata patches, which are perfectly smooth, hair patches in trichotillomania show broken-off hairs. Treatment is often entirely behavioral: You have to notice that you're doing it and then consciously stop. Severe or resistant cases may require stress counseling with a therapist or psychologist or medical treatment with a psychiatrist. Several antidepressant or anxiety medications have been shown to potentially help with this condition.

Tinea is the medical word for fungal infection, and capitis means head. Tinea capitis is fungal infection of the scalp that for the most part affects school-age children. Tinea capitis is more common in black African or African-American scalps. This condition is rare in healthy adults. Bald spots usually show broken-off hairs. Oral antifungals are needed to penetrate the hair roots and cure the infection after which hair grows back. It is contagious from sharing hats or combs and brushes.

This is an overall hair thinning without specific bald spots or patterns. While this type of hair loss may not be noticeable to others, often the individual will feel their hair is not as thick or full as it previously was. Common conditions in this category are

• telogen effluvium (rapid shedding after childbirth, fever, or sudden weight loss);



• androgenetic or androgenic hair loss ("male-pattern baldness," "female-pattern baldness").