Strange Hair Loss

Dermatologist
Photo: Robert Przybysz/Shutterstock
Q: I'm a 52-year-old male with slight diabetes. Recently I've had some strange hair loss over my body. Because of the precise manner that this hair loss occurred, I feel there has to be a specific cause.
 
I had hair loss on both my thighs. If I drew a perfectly straight line down the middle of my thighs that ended over the middle of my knees, then on the outside of that line all hair fell out but on the inner part of my thighs I had all of my hair. Also, even the spot where the hair comes out of the skin disappeared as well leaving the area smooth as glass.
 
Also, I experienced hair loss on my head in a strange way as well. If you can think of a mohawk hair style, well I had the reverse of a mohawk. All the hair in the exact middle of my head with a width about 2" from the front of my head to the nape of my neck fell off. The sides are perfectly fine. How could that be? My doctor simply dismissed it, but it's traumatic to me. Could it be liver or kidney or nerve problems or some other culprit? Is there a way to fix it and who can I talk to?

 
A: First of all, let me say that I am very sorry to hear of your situation, and especially of your doctor’s reaction to the situation. For many people, hair loss is a very traumatic occurrence and can have a profound impact on their self-esteem.
 
Unfortunately, I can’t offer you any advice as to the possible causes for your hair loss. I am qualified to assist you in caring for your hair, but the diagnosis (even hypothesizing) of what is causing your hair loss is something only a doctor can do for you.
 
I can, however, tell you that you shouldn’t hesitate to consult another doctor – specifically a dermatologist – about this hair loss. A dermatologist is trained to deal with issues of the skin and subsequently the hair which grows from it. He will be better able to assess the likely causes for your particular hair loss patterns and will likely be more attuned to the issues that accompany the hair loss.
 
You need a doctor who understands that how you look is important to how you feel about yourself, and won’t dismiss your concerns simply because he considers them non-life-threatening.
 
I wish you all the best.
 
©Hairfinder.com
 
See also:
 
Hair loss
 
Dealing with hair loss
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