BaldingBlog Tip: Email Questions that Contain Actual Information
Just this morning, I received a reply from a reader that didn’t like a previous reply I had given him via email. Here’s what he said:
Wow, you’re a lot more helpful on the e-mails you display on your site than the ones you actually send. What a big surprise.
For every one email I post on the site, I probably answer 10-15… and even then, I can’t get to all of them. There have been a high number of people writing in asking for my opinion on this or that, and their email usually focuses on just one thing. In some cases, what that ends up doing is raising a lot of questions for me to ask back to them so I can help get them an answer. To render an opinion and help those that email the site, I must have lots of information and sometimes even good photos (and permission to publish them is encouraged). All too often there is nothing of the sort. I don’t want to be rude by simply saying that “you” need to see a doctor, but this is not a guessing game for me and while I do want to help, reason must prevail. Bottom line… if you are writing to BaldingBlog, make your case as concise as possible with as much relevant information that you can provide. It might sound like a contradiction, but I’ll try to clarify if you need more help. I enjoy writing the blog, but I can only answer what I’ve got to work with, so keep that in mind if you don’t get the reply you were hoping for.
Also keep in mind that I’m not diagnosing people online, but just providing general information. Please don’t write to me upset that I’m just trying to pass you off to your doctor. I can’t legally do what you want me to do, and most times an in-person examination with a doctor is the best way to go anyway.
You should place something like this post as a header at the top of the page. Like an intro to the site. I work in tech support and know how frustrating it can be when people don’t give the right details. So if your above post is a header or intro, it may cut done on emails with no good details.
I just may do that. There’s a lot of instruction on the actual Contact page itself above the form…
Doc
Your bound to get a few disgruntled responses form the plethora of emails (i guess) you recieve and transmit. I have to say I have sent in one query to you, which you posted on this site, AND gave a very helpful response. Your doing a good job; a thankless task.
All I will say is those who are not happy, tend to be those who are most vulnerable. We all want some help, but sometimes don’t know where to look. There really isn’t many doctors who take hair loss seriously enough, imo.
Yeah Doc, you’re doing a great job of providing so much information. Thanks.
To the above poster. Yeah I don’t think some people or doctors realize that to some guys, losing your hair is like losing a part of yourself. I watched the Dateline on the Folicle 5 and lol’d at the fact that the interviewer and the doctor both had juvenile hairlines. While the guys that were in the report had extensive balding. It was like polar opposites.