Alessa Avec Fashion

Doctor Alan Bauman, who did my hair transplant, commented on my recent post about hair loss and it brings up an interesting issue:

Countless patients come through our doors each year after being shunned or even ridiculed by their dermatologist for wanting to do something about their hair loss. The most help any of them ever got from their Derm was a bottle of rogaine as they were sent out the door. Seek the advice of a trained medical professional who SPECIALIZES in hair restoration.

It's true that the majority of primary-care and dermatologists aren't interested in hair loss treatment, and find it a distraction. It's not covered by insurance, and a typical PCP or dermatologist won't profit from treating hairloss. More importantly, they often lack insight into a simple fact: if the patient had the courage to ask a physician, he likely is highly concerned about his hair-loss even if he appears otherwise. So when he's dismissed or ignored, he probably loses some trust for the physician.

That trust can undermine the doctor-patient relationship in ways the doctor never sees. Kinda sad, so here are some tips:

1. See a specialist if you can. Even if you're not interested in a hair transplant, a physician who specializes in hair is ideal (if your dermatologist or PCP has hair-loss informational resources in the front office, you're probably safe).
2. If you talk to your primary-care physician (or some derms), you're likely to do so at the end of an appointment discussing another medical issue... so don't wait until the doctor is reaching for the door handle.
3. Educate yourself before going, and let the physician know what you've tried already. This will help him/her know you're concerned. Trust me: unless he's treating his own hairloss, he's not going to know you're concerned about yours if you're subtle.
   
4. Ask for a recommendation and not options. Many physicians feel they're serving the patient if they list a variety of treatment approaches. While this demonstrates the physicians knowledge, the patient wants the doctor's advice.
5. If all else fails, go to another doctor. It's a lot easier to find another doctor than to try to change your doctor's personality or methods.