Writing Off Miniaturization as MPB When There’s a Possible Disease Causing It?

Hey Doc,
Today you mentioned that there are other causes of miniaturization besides mpb. If so, then how would you be sure it was caused by mpb as opposed to a disease? Couldn’t you theoretically write off miniaturization as mpb when there’s a more serious underlying issue? What diseases might cause this? How do you tell the difference? If there’s a receding hairline at the temples and thinning in the crown is this defenitely mpb? What about if it’s diffussed thinning? Just wondering how one might tell. Thanks!

The easiest answer is that genetic hair loss in men occur in patterns… and these patterns are almost always diagnostic of genetic hair loss (male pattern baldness) and follow the Norwood classification chart either with thinning or frank balding.

The rest is the art of the practice of medicine and that is why a doctor adds value when you are being evaluated. Hair loss occurs with many other diseases, such as alopecia areata, ringworm, a variety of autoimmune diseases, drugs, etc…