I Have a Receded Hairline – Could It Be From Scratching Dandruff Years Ago?

Hi Dr,

Around four years ago (when i was 24) prior to every worrying about hair loss I hasd a bout of dandruff/itchy scalp.

This mainly affected my temple area. Naively, i remember sitting there at my desk scratching away at the area for a couple of weeks (before it cleared up) and seeing how much dandruff would fall as well as how much hair would fall (lots at the time of scratching it).

Not long after I saw pictures of my hair and became worried about going bald. In those four years, my hair hasn’t got a whole lot worse but I do have a receded hairline in those areas that I was scratching away at (and later using minoxidil on).

Could this have caused permanent hair loss in these areas? I do have a family history of baldness anyway.

A visit with a good doctor will probably tell you the answer after a thorough examination of your hair and scalp is done. It would be unusual for a 2 week bout of heavy scratching to produce permanent hair loss, but a doctor will tell you what he sees and make the diagnosis you need. Considering your family history and age, I’d expect genetics are at play… not scratching dandruff 4 years ago.