So if you are anything like me before I had to start writing this article you probably think that a dermatologist is just a doctor for skin. I mean, that had been my general impression from various pop culture observations and general conversations throughout my life. But I found out today, and maybe now you are too! That a dermatologist is actually a doctor who specializes in skin, but who also specializes in hair and nails. And I mean really now that I think about it, that makes total sense. They specialize in all of the parts of your body that have to actually brave the elements of the world.
All of your internal organs, muscles and bones are protected by either your hair, skin, or nails. And this is good news if you are struggling with hair loss because not only is hair loss obviously affected by your hair itself, it is also affected by your scalp, and more specifically the skin on your scalp. So you can see why a dermatologist might be just the solution you are looking for. They specialize in both of the two substantive factors in your hair falling out or staying put. If you want to know more about what a dermatologist can do for your hair loss check out the article below.
What Exactly Is A Dermatologist?
And What Can They Do For Your Hair Loss?
So a dermatologist goes to school for twelve or more years to become certified and as such they can diagnose and treat over 3,000 diseases. But one of the unique things about dermatologists is that they specialize in all of the things they other people see about you right away. Any cosmetic issue, hair loss issue, or skin issue can be diagnosed and treated by a dermatologist.
And as such it is important to get the opinion of a dermatologist on your hair loss. Because not only will they be able to diagnose both the hair and the scalp, they will also be able to identify the reason for the hair loss itself. Since this is on a website called The Medical Mancave I’m assuming you are here for a reason related to male pattern baldness. But that’s not always the case. You might be losing your hair due to stress and anxiety, poor diet, or even an underlying medical condition. And it’s not just men, women can lose their hair for all of those reasons too and can even suffer from female pattern baldness. So whether you are a man losing his hair, a woman losing her hair, or a loved one here to find out how to help your partner deal with their hair loss, the most important thing to do is to get to the “root” cause of the problem (See what I did there? Root of the problem? I’m not gonna explain it.) Because not only is this going to make any treatment you go with more effective, because you will be treating the actual cause of your hair loss and not picking a solution and just hoping it’s the right one, it will also alert you or your loved one to any serious underlying medical condition that might be causing the hair loss. Don’t just chalk it up to male pattern baldness without a dermatologist’s opinion on it.
What Can A Dermatologist Do That Makes Them So Special?
A Variety Of Special Procedures Only They Are Qualified For
On top of that a dermatologist has the training to perform the techniques and procedures necessary to help deal with and address any type of hair loss. This is because they are certified from their twelve years of schooling (AKA twelve years of student loans to pay back) to perform a “trichoscopy.” A term coined to refer to the dermoscopic imaging of the scalp and hair. Which is both simple to do and non invasive on the patient. But what a trichoscopy is in everyday language is a rapid and magnified observation of the skin (scalps) surface. This allows them to evaluate not only the hair follicle and skin on the scalp, but also to determine the health and thickness of individual strands of hair. On top of the trichoscopy they can also perform a trigonometry which involves an instrument that provides a quantifiable metric for your hair’s current quality. Both of these procedures can be vital in your battle against your hair loss.
A Dermatologist Can Go More In Depth Than A Trichologist
They Have Twelve Years Of Schooling And They Use It To Perform A Scalp Biopsy
Finally a dermatologist can also perform a scalp biopsy. This is usually done under a local anaesthetic. A sample of the scalp is taken from the patient while they are under the anaesthetic. Then after the sample is taken, it is studied by the dermatologist under a microscope. As such, a scalp biopsy can be crucial in correctly addressing causes of hair loss, the health of hair follicles, and the health of individual strands of hair themselves.
A scalp biopsy needs to be performed at the appropriate site on the scalp to be able to correctly determine if the cause of hair loss is from alopecia, or if there is something else leading to the hair loss. And as such, you need somebody specialized, like a dermatologist, to be able to perform the procedure. I mean they have to put you under so it feels an awful lot like an operation to me. So you’ll definitely want a qualified doctor like a dermatologist to be performing the operation. And that’s why only a dermatologist is licensed to do so. While everything else on this list can be essential to solving your hair loss problems, if you are out of different ideas and solutions, then a scalp biopsy will definitely give you a determinative answer as to the causes of your hair loss and the potential solutions for it.
As you can see, a dermatologist can offer you a level of scientific, medical, and technical insight into the causes of your hair loss. And this can be essential in effectively treating hair loss. After all if you don’t address the correct causal factor you won’t get the desired outcome. So a dermatologists’ insight can be a crucial step in getting to your desired result. And remember not all hair loss is from male pattern baldness, just because your dad was bald doesn’t mean the reason your hair is falling out is just genetics. There can be serious underlying medical issues that are causing the hair loss and a dermatologist is qualified to address, identify, or treat any of these issues. This makes a dermatologist the optimal choice when you are trying to address your hair loss, or helping a loved one deal with their own hair loss.