As with any medical condition, it is important to obtain an accurate diagnosis for hair loss before you can start any treatment. This is especially important with hair loss related conditions as the symptoms are often remarkably similar and the defining characteristics of a particular condition can be hard to spot.
For example, a child displaying symptoms of hair loss could have one of a number of different conditions. Alopecia areata is patchy hair loss where the skin remaining is perfectly smooth and without lesions, whereas Tinea Capitis (ringworm of the scalp) will cause bald patches where the skin may display scaling.
Both of these conditions cause hair loss, but the treatment for each is very different. There is no definitive cure for alopecia areata – although the hair is likely to grow back within a year or so if the patient is a child – whereas Tinea Capitis requires anti-fungal medicine to be ingested for effective treatment.
In adults, the causes and treatments for each type of hair loss can also be very different, so it is important to consult a GP for a proper diagnosis. Only then can you seek help from a hair loss treatment specialist for your particular condition.