How hair loss is classified
The first split is whether the follicle survives. Non-scarring alopecias leave the follicle intact, so regrowth remains possible. Scarring alopecias destroy it, and no treatment brings it back. Everything else follows from that division.
| Type | Pattern | Follicle survives? |
|---|---|---|
| Androgenetic | Temples and crown, or a widening part | Yes, until dormant for years |
| Telogen effluvium | Diffuse, sudden, all over | Yes |
| Alopecia areata | Round smooth patches | Yes, often regrows |
| Traction | Along lines of tension | Only if caught early |
| Scarring (cicatricial) | Patchy, pore openings lost | No — permanent |
| Anagen effluvium | Rapid and widespread | Usually, after the cause stops |
The right-hand column is the one that matters when deciding how urgently to act.
Why the distinction matters
A treatment aimed at prolonging the growing phase does nothing for a follicle that no longer exists. A camouflage approach applied to an active inflammatory process leaves the underlying condition progressing beneath it. Getting the type right is not academic.
Common questions
What is the difference between alopecia and hair loss?
None, medically — alopecia is simply the clinical term. In everyday use "alopecia" often refers specifically to alopecia areata, which is one particular autoimmune type.
Which type is most common?
Androgenetic by a wide margin, in both men and women.
Can one type turn into another?
Types do not convert, but they do coexist, and a temporary shedding episode often reveals a pattern loss that was already underway.
What an assessment establishes
- 1.Which process is causing the loss
Pattern loss, telogen effluvium, traction and scarring alopecia look similar in a mirror and behave nothing alike. The examination separates them, because the answer decides which routes are worth discussing at all.
- 2.Whether it is stable or still moving
Loss that is still progressing changes what any treatment can hold. It is the difference between planning around a fixed area and planning around one that will keep widening, and it is judged from history and examination rather than a single photograph.
- 3.Which routes are available to you, and which are not
Donor supply, scalp condition, skin type and how the loss is behaving each rule options in or out. You leave knowing what is on the table and what is not, without a price attached to the conversation.