Hair loss and thinning hair
More hair in the brush, a wider parting or a thinner crown: hair loss is common, and it has many possible causes. The usual ones are pattern hair loss; shedding a few months after an illness, a birth, a crash diet or stress; patchy loss from alopecia areata; styles that pull; low iron or a thyroid problem; and conditions of the scalp. Each is handled differently, so the first step is a trichology assessment of your scalp and hair, not a product.
At a glance
- Who you’ll see
-
- Dr. Olga Seredina Trichology, cosmetology
- Where
- CREAMÉ, 350 Al Wasl Road, Jumeirah 1, Dubai
- What may help
- It starts with a consultation.
The short answer
Hair loss has many causes, from hormones and nutrition to stress and the scalp itself, so it starts with a trichology assessment of the scalp, not with a product.
What it is, and why it happens
Hair grows in cycles. At any one time about nine in ten scalp hairs are growing and a small share are resting; the resting hairs are the ones that fall, and the follicle grows a new one. Shedding around 50 to 100 hairs a day is normal. Hair loss means something has changed: many more hairs are shedding at once, the hairs growing back are finer, or an area has stopped growing hair. Working out which of these is happening is most of the diagnosis.
Pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) is the most common type, in men and in women, and it often runs in families: the follicles gradually shrink and make finer, shorter hairs. In men it usually starts at the temples or the crown; in women it more often shows as a wider parting and thinner hair over the top of the head, with the front hairline kept. It comes on gradually and tends to continue. A thyroid problem, low iron or poor nutrition can look much the same, which is one reason to check rather than assume.
Telogen effluvium is a sudden, even shedding all over the scalp, often noticed as clumps in the shower or the brush. It usually starts a few months after a trigger: a high fever or illness, an operation, giving birth, losing a lot of weight, stopping the contraceptive pill, some medicines, or a time of heavy stress. As the body readjusts, the shedding stops and the hair tends to regain its fullness; if the trigger continues, the shedding can too.
Alopecia areata causes round, smooth patches that appear quickly, on the scalp or in the beard, eyebrows or eyelashes, sometimes with small pits in the nails. It is thought to be autoimmune: the immune system stops the follicles making hair without destroying them, and the hair often regrows on its own, though new patches can follow. Traction alopecia comes from styles that pull on the same hairs day after day: tight ponytails, buns and braids, extensions and weaves, or hair wrapped or pinned tightly under a scarf, turban or cap. Early on, hair can recover once the pull stops; years of tension can leave scarring.
The scalp itself can be the cause. A fungal infection, seen mostly in children, causes scaly, sometimes itchy patches and needs medical treatment. Rarer inflammatory conditions replace follicles with scar tissue, leaving smooth, shiny skin where the follicle openings have gone; hair does not regrow from a scarred follicle, so these need prompt diagnosis, usually by a dermatologist. And hair that snaps along its length after bleaching, relaxing, heat or tight styling is breakage, not loss from the root.
What to be careful with
Buying products or supplements before knowing the cause is a common detour. No shampoo or serum corrects low iron, a thyroid problem, traction or a scalp infection, and supplements are not harmless: too much vitamin A or selenium can itself cause hair loss.
Be careful, too, with tight styles. If a style hurts, stings or leaves your scalp tender, it is pulling too hard: loosen it, and give your hair breaks from extensions, weaves and heavy clips, and from bleaching, relaxers and high heat, which weaken the hair.
What matters in Dubai
Many people in Dubai blame the water. The evidence is thin: a few small laboratory studies on strands of hair, with mixed results. In one, hair soaked in hard water came out weaker, which may mean more breakage; in another, hard water made no difference to its strength or stretch. None looked at hair falling from the root, and there is no good evidence that hard water or humidity causes thinning, so new shedding or a widening parting still deserves an assessment.
The sun is strong for most of the year, and a scalp that shows through thinning hair or along a parting can burn: a hat, or a sunscreen made for the scalp, is worth the habit. Timing is the other local clue. If Ramadan, a strict diet before an event or a summer of travel and irregular meals brings a big change in what you eat, or a quick drop in weight, shedding can follow a few months later, as it can after a fever or illness while away. Bring the dates with you: they are one of the most useful parts of the history.
When to see a doctor first
See a doctor promptly if hair falls out suddenly or in patches; if your scalp is painful, red or scaly, or looks smooth and shiny where the hair has gone; if the loss comes with other changes, such as tiredness, weight gain or loss, or feeling unwell; or if a child is losing hair. Scarring is uncommon, but hair lost to it does not regrow, which is why early diagnosis matters.
A trichology assessment starts with your story: when the loss began and how, what happened in the months before, your diet, health, medicines and family history, and how you style and treat your hair. The doctor then looks at the pattern, may gently pull a small bunch of hairs to see how many come away, and examines the scalp and hair under magnification (trichoscopy), which is non-invasive, helps tell the types apart and lets changes be followed over time. Depending on what it shows, blood tests may be suggested, for example for iron or thyroid function; a small skin sample is needed only in difficult cases.
At CREAMÉ the assessment is with Dr. Olga Seredina, a doctor in trichology and cosmetology who leads the diagnostic-first work on thinning, shedding and scalp concerns. She also works with the Fotona laser, including for the scalp and hair. What follows depends on the cause, and she explains the options that fit yours.
Questions people ask
How much hair loss a day is normal?
Shedding around 50 to 100 hairs a day is normal. Noticeably more than that for weeks, a parting that is widening or more scalp showing through are reasons to have it looked at.
Can stress make your hair fall out?
Yes. A stressful time, from a high fever or an operation to a major life event, can push many hairs into their resting phase at once, and they fall a few months later. The shedding usually stops as the body readjusts, but it can last while the stress does, and other causes can look similar, so it is worth checking.
Is it normal to lose a lot of hair after having a baby?
Yes, it is common. Shedding often starts about two months after the birth and peaks at around four months, and the hair tends to regain its fullness within six to nine months. If it goes on longer, or your parting keeps widening, have it checked: low iron, a thyroid problem or pattern hair loss can be part of the picture.
Will my hair grow back?
It depends on the cause. After a trigger such as an illness or a birth, the shedding usually settles and the hair regains its fullness. Patches of alopecia areata often regrow, though new ones can appear. Pattern hair loss tends to continue without treatment, and treatment helps many people but not everyone; hair lost to scarring does not regrow.
Can low iron or a thyroid problem cause hair loss?
Yes, both are known causes of shedding. If your history or your scalp suggests either, a blood test is the way to know; if iron is low, putting it right is recommended, and a thyroid problem needs its own treatment.
Do biotin and hair vitamins help?
Usually not, unless you are short of something. A review of the evidence found no good support for biotin in pattern hair loss or shedding, and biotin can make some blood test results wrong, so mention it before any test. Supplements make most sense once a blood test shows what, if anything, is missing.
How do I choose a good trichologist, doctor or clinic for hair loss in Dubai?
Choose someone who looks for the cause before suggesting anything. A good first visit covers your history, a close look at the scalp under magnification and, when your story points that way, blood tests such as iron or thyroid. Be wary if a course or a product is offered before anyone has told you what kind of hair loss you have. At CREAMÉ the assessment is with Dr. Olga Seredina, a doctor in trichology and cosmetology.
What is a trichologist, and do they see both men and women?
A trichologist works on the health of the scalp and hair (the word comes from the Greek for hair): shedding, thinning, breakage and scalp problems. The title covers different training, and in many countries trichologists are not medically qualified, so blood tests, prescriptions or a skin sample go through a doctor. And yes, men and women alike: hair loss is common in both, and the assessment is the same. At CREAMÉ it is with a doctor.
How is hair loss different in men and women?
Pattern hair loss is the most common type in both, but it shows differently. In men it usually starts at the temples or the crown. In women it more often shows as a wider parting and thinner hair over the top, with the front hairline kept, and it can come with a hormone condition such as polycystic ovary syndrome. In anyone, low iron or a thyroid problem can look much the same, so the assessment checks rather than assumes.
How much does a trichologist or hair loss treatment cost in Dubai?
We don't publish prices. The cost depends on what the assessment finds: whether blood tests are needed, which treatment fits the cause and how many sessions it takes. For some causes, such as shedding after an illness, the answer may be no treatment at all. The cost is set at the consultation, and you know the full plan and cost before you start.
Trichologist vs dermatologist: who should I see for hair loss or a scalp problem?
For most hair loss, start with a doctor who looks for the cause. A dermatologist is a physician who specialises in skin, hair and nails, and is the one to see for scarring hair loss: a scalp that is painful, red or scaly, or smooth and shiny where the hair has gone. Scarring is uncommon, but hair lost to it does not regrow. At CREAMÉ the assessment is with Dr. Olga Seredina, and if it points to a dermatologist, we tell you.
How long does hair loss treatment take to work, and what results are realistic?
Months rather than weeks. For pattern hair loss, the usual treatments need at least six months before they can be judged, improvement can take six to twelve months, and with some, shedding can increase for the first few weeks before it settles. They are usually better at slowing the loss than at regrowing hair, they help some people more than others, and the benefit lasts only while you keep using them. Shedding after an illness or a birth is different: it usually settles by itself.
What are the benefits and side effects of treatment for male and female pattern hair loss?
Treatment can slow the thinning and, in some people, partly restore hair, but every option has possible side effects. Lotions for the scalp can make it dry, red or itchy, and can grow unwanted hair where they spill, such as on the forehead or cheeks. Some tablets used by men can lower sex drive, affect erections or cause breast enlargement. The doctor goes through the risks of anything suggested, and how likely they are, before you decide.
Can hair loss be treated in pregnant women, or after pregnancy while breastfeeding?
The assessment can go ahead, but several medicines used for hair loss should be avoided if you are pregnant, trying for a baby or breastfeeding, so tell the doctor first. Finding the cause still helps: if your history suggests it, iron or thyroid can be checked. Shedding after a birth usually settles by itself, so medicines can often wait until you have stopped breastfeeding.
What should I bring to a trichologist appointment, and what results can I expect from the first visit?
Bring the dates: when the shedding or thinning began, and what happened in the months before, such as an illness, a birth, a new medicine, a strict diet or a stressful time. Bring recent blood test results and a list of your medicines and supplements, biotin included. After the first visit you usually know what kind of hair loss it is, or which tests will tell, and what the plan is; any treatment then takes months to show.
Sources
- American Academy of Dermatology. Do you have hair loss or hair shedding? Patient information, aad.org.
- Phillips TG, Slomiany WP, Allison R. Hair loss: common causes and treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2017;96(6):371–378.
- Harries MJ, Ascott A, Asfour L, et al. British Association of Dermatologists living guideline for managing people with alopecia areata 2024. Br J Dermatol. 2025;192(2):190–205.
- Billero V, Miteva M. Traction alopecia: the root of the problem. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2018;11:149–159.
- Almohanna HM, Ahmed AA, Tsatalis JP, Tosti A. The role of vitamins and minerals in hair loss: a review. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2019;9(1):51–70.
- Katoulis AC, Pappa G, Sgouros D, et al. A three-step diagnostic algorithm for alopecia: pattern analysis in trichoscopy. J Clin Med. 2025;14(4):1195.
- Luqman MW, Ramzan MH, Javaid U, et al. To evaluate and compare changes in baseline strength of hairs after treating them with deionized water and hard water and its role in hair breakage. Int J Trichology. 2018;10(3):113–117.
- Srinivasan G, Srinivas CR, Mathew AC, Duraiswami D. Effects of hard water on hair. Int J Trichology. 2013;5(3):137–139.
- Trüeb RM, Rezende HD, Gavazzoni Dias MFR, Caballero Uribe N. Trichology and trichiatry: etymological and terminological considerations. Int J Trichology. 2022;14(4):117–119.
- British Association of Dermatologists. Hair loss: female pattern (androgenetic alopecia). Patient information leaflet, updated October 2024. skinhealthinfo.org.uk.
Updated 27 October 2026