My Hair Loss Isn’t Gradual and It’s Diffuse

Hi, great blog filled with lots of good tips and reassuring words of encouragement.

I’ve been suffering from diffuse shedding for a year and a half now, losing upwards to 100 strands per day. I’ve been diagnosed with male pattern baldness since my dermatologists were unable to find any other cause. I have my doubts as I’ve been lead to believe that male patter baldness is a gradual thing of the hair whereas I’m shedding hair all over.

I’ve had countless blood work done (all normal) and a scalp biopsy that showed the majority of my hair in the anagen phase.

what could be causing my loss? please please help!

Your issue and statements are confusing and contradictory. I will outline some simple facts that may help.

It is normal to lose 100 – 150 hairs a day. In its place, more hairs are/will grow at other areas to compensate (for those who are not balding). So seeing or counting 100 hairs lost each day is not necessarily diagnostic, since non balding people can have 100-150 hairs lost in a day.

Diffuse shedding as you describe it may not be diffuse shedding in objective terms if you were diagnosed with male pattern baldness. If you have male pattern baldness it would not be diffuse. It would show a pattern. Generally for men hair loss is genetic and there is no specific blood test or biopsies to diagnose male pattern baldness (also known as androgenic alopecia). Male pattern hair loss is a diagnosis mostly made by a physical exam. Good bulk measurements can help establish a diagnosis, as well as a through microscopic examination of the scalp looking for signs of miniaturization. This is offered by many hair transplant doctors and if not, find one that does offer this service.

There is help, but you need to see a doctor for that. If you indeed have MPB, there are medications (Rogaine or Propecia) and surgeries as options.