At The Hair Loss Center we use various methods to diagnose the cause of your hair loss, thinning, shedding, breakage, and excess growth. Below are just a few of the many hi-tech procedures that we use before we suggest a course of therapy.

Comprehensive hair-oriented medical history
We’ll ask you a number of questions about your past medical history, diet, hair care habits, family history, medications, previous evaluations, and much more. All will be focused on finding possible clues to the cause of your problem.

HairCheck hair analysis
The Hair Loss Center was the first facility in the world to offer the revolutionary HairCheck technology. Invented by Dr. Cohen, tested for 4 years, and featured on national TV, this technology has changed the way doctors and hair professionals approach patients with hair loss. In 10 minutes, without cutting a single hair, we can measure the amount of hair on any area of your head and determine the percent of hair loss. That means we can measure hair loss of every kind... balding, thinning, shedding, and hair loss due to damage. We can measure your before, during, and after response to Rogaine and Propecia. We can calculate the speed at which you are balding. But perhaps most importantly, we can detect, and in a sense predict, if you are going to lose your hair years before it ever becomes obvious to the naked eye!

Physical examination
Not only do we examine the hair itself. We evaluate the distribution of your loss, check for hairs which are broken or irregular length, we assess and document the color, texture, caliber, etc. If indicated, we might suggest a medical examination to check for other physical abnormalities that are sometimes associated with hair loss or excessive growth.

Hair density count
This test measures the number of hairs per square centimeter using video microscopy. In that way, we can see if your count is lower than normal over the entire scalp. We also use this test to determine whether or not there is less hair on top of your head than on the back and sides. In this way, we can clearly distinguish diffuse from a subtle pattern hair loss.

Balding Scalp - Miniaturized Hairs		Donor Area - Normal Scalp No Miniaturized Hairs

Scalp biopsy
Two types of sampling tell us what’s going on in the area of the hair root.

Cross sectional biopsy is used to determine relative size of the hairs, perform precise hair counts, and get an idea of the anagen and telogen population. Longitudinal biopsy is used in a manner similar to the cross sectional biopsy but gives a better picture of inflammatory and scarring processes in the area of the hair root.

Density diameter index
Density Diameter Index is unique in that it is another of the new hair evaluation and tracking measurements that we, at The Hair Loss Center have developed. It is actually a measure of the hair mass and is much more accurate than a simple hair count when assessing pattern alopecia. When using the hair count method, one hair is counted as only one hair, whether it is 40 microns or 60 microns. If we measure the number of hairs and their collective diameters at one time, we can get a much more meaningful assessment of whether or not finasteride, for example, is causing an increase in hair caliber size. The same method will give us a more meaningful assessment of the progressive worsening in pattern alopecia. At present, we are going through the patent process on an innovative, low-cost device that will make this measurement simple and surprisingly accurate.

Hair pull test
This test is a rudimentary, but good indication as to whether or not there is a predominance of telogen hairs on the scalp.

Hair shaft examination
Hair Shaft Examination is essential to determine causes of hair breakage. Hair breakage is a surprisingly common cause of hair loss. By testing the tensile strength of hair (the pounds of pressure under which it will break) we can find out if there has been sufficient chemical or thermal damage to hair to cause it to fracture. Genetic anatomic weaknesses in the hair shaft can be identified as well. Hair breakage is one of the more common manifestations of trichotillomania.

Infectious disease culture
These media are used to diagnose fungal and bacterial diseases that might be the cause of hair loss.

The hair loss profile
The Hair Loss Profile was originated, published, and copyrighted by Dr. Cohen and The Hair Loss Center. It is quickly gaining acceptance in the medical community as a method for documenting the density and distribution of hair on the scalp of patients with pattern hair loss. It is essential in evaluating patients who are on minoxidil, finasteride or dutasteride treatment. At The Hair Loss Center, we have software that prints out a graphic picture (in shades of gray) of your hair loss profile. It is a routine part of the standard evaluation and is used as a basis for comparison of progress on subsequent visits.

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The hair loss index
The Hair Loss Index is part of the hair loss profile method. The single numerical value that it provides is a measurement of the existing hair mass. It tells us how much of your original hair you still have in spite of progressive pattern balding. It also tells us how much you have re-grown as a result of treatment. In simple terms it answers the question “How bad is this patient’s hair loss?” The answer, “On a scale of 1 to 100 his score is 64.”

Terminal-miniturized ratios
Terminal-Miniaturized Ratios are measures of the relative percentile of full-sized to miniaturized hairs in a pre-measured area of scalp.

Video microscopy
Video Microscopy is routinely performed to determine the health and status of the scalp skin. We use it every day to determine the distribution of follicular units as we prepare for transplant surgery. Video microscopy is valuable in measuring other information parameters as well.

Endocrine Studies
Endocrine Studies are performed to determine if the ovary, thyroid, pituitary or adrenal glands are responsible for hair loss or hair overgrowth. When necessary, our staff endocrinologist will consult and suggest appropriate treatment.

Blood tests
Blood tests determine systemic disease, iron deficiency, collagen disease, etc.

Medical documentation
“Before and after” photos establish and track a patient’s progress in a permanent visual manner. They may be either video or still photographs. At The Hair Loss Center we prefer video documentation. In that way, we can better document the actual density at the skin surface, an area often obscured by long hair styles and comb-overs. We use video documentation to follow the progress and evaluate the quality of our hair transplants. You’re invited to visit the video gallery and see a sampling of the incredible results that we’re able to achieve!