What Was Your Experience When Visiting The Dermatologist For The First Time?

[mbkitt]

I previously posted on here asking if it looked like I was having hair loss or a cowlick. I got mixed feedback, so I asked a doctor (not a derm) who said it’s not hair loss, but I want to go to a dermatologist to be evaluated so I made an appointment for 2/25.

I’ve read some things on this board about people being written off by dermatologists, trying to shoo them out of the office, being dismissive, etc. I feel like I have some thinning, but nothing terribly bad. I’ve had people tell me I’m going to be laughed out of the office for even going, but it’s something I’m noticing.

I guess I’m just wondering how to handle the appointment when I’ve never been to a dermatologist? I don’t really know what I’m looking for him to tell me, but I guess I’m having pre-anxiety that I feel like I’m noticing what may or may not be thinning and the dermatologist is going to think nothings wrong, thanks for coming, bye. I know I can always go to a new one, but things get expensive. Just wondering how to handle it from the beginning.

 

[Timii]

Don't worry too much. If you have the suspect that you are balding then you have all resons to go to a dermatologist. It's their job after all.
With that being said, my experience was quite normal. She (the dermatologist) was nice , had a look at my hair and then asked me if my relatives have hair loss in general. She confirmed that I was balding and prescribed me finsasteride. That was it, she didn't tell me nothing I already knew but I guess a visit would make sense in your case.

 

[Sseoud86]

I always wondered if you told them a lie and said your relatives weren't balding and didn't have hairloss if they'd be so quick to say yes its male pattern baldness. I feel they ask that and just go off whatever answer you give them...

 

[Orwell]

My advice is to get recommendations and find a good one.

The dermatologist I saw in November last year advertised herself as specialising in hair loss, but misdiagnosed me as Norwood 3V. She also said I don't have retrograde alopecia, despite me specifically asking her, 'Do I have retrograde alopecia?' I saw a hair transplant surgeon in December who diagnosed me as a Norwood 2 with retrograde alopecia (25 percent miniaturisation in the donor area) and diffuse crown thinning.

I suspect the derm I saw actually specialises more in female hair loss and doesn't see enough cases of male hair loss to diagnose anything which falls outside the standard Norwood scale. Probably best to see a male derm - female doctors aren't the most sympathetic when it comes to male pattern hair loss, at least in my experience.