What should you know about frontal hair loss?

A widening part with gradual thinning may fit male pattern hair loss or female pattern hair loss. Smooth, sharply defined patches can occur with alopecia areata. Tight hairstyles or extensions may contribute to traction alopecia, while scaling and broken hairs can occur with scalp ringworm. Diffuse shedding after illness, major stress, or another body change may be telogen effluvium. A frontal change can also reflect more than one process, so the scalp examination is useful.

Make a clinical appointment if loss is persistent or progressing. Bring a list of medicines and recent illnesses, and mention hairstyles, chemical treatments, diet changes, and family patterns. Avoid tight pulling and harsh handling while the cause is being clarified. A clinician may inspect the scalp with magnification and decide whether tests or treatment are needed. Finasteride treatment is one prescription option for selected patients, but suitability depends on sex, pregnancy potential, other medicines, and diagnosis.

Arrange prompt assessment for rapidly expanding patches, scalp pain, marked redness, pus, crusting, intense scale, or broken hairs. Hair loss with fever or a spreading rash needs timely attention. Seek review as well when eyebrows are thinning or the hairline is receding with itch or tenderness, because inflammatory scarring conditions need early management.

Which pattern does my frontal loss follow? Is the scalp inflamed, infected, or scarred? Do I need tests? Which reversible hair-care changes and treatments are reasonable for my diagnosis?