What blood tests should I do for hair loss?

CBC, Ferritin, TSH, Free T3, Anti-TPO, Vitamin D3, Vitamin B12, Total Testosterone (women), DHEA-S, Prolactin, Zinc. Together these detect the most common medical causes of hair loss in Indian patients.

Why is ferritin tested for hair loss?

Low ferritin (iron stores) is the single most common cause of chronic hair loss in Indian women — even with normal haemoglobin. Iron deficiency affects the hair follicle cycle. Ferritin below 30 µg/L often associated with hair loss; correction with iron supplementation reverses it over 4–6 months.

Can thyroid disease cause hair loss?

Yes — both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism cause hair loss. Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid) causes hair loss even before TSH becomes abnormal. Anti-TPO testing is essential in unexplained hair loss.

Why test testosterone in women with hair loss?

PCOS causes androgenetic alopecia in women — crown thinning, sometimes temple recession. Elevated testosterone confirms PCOS contribution. Treatable with anti-androgen therapy.

Should I take biotin supplements for hair loss?

Only if biotin deficiency is documented — rare. Routine biotin supplementation rarely helps and can interfere with thyroid lab tests (causing falsely abnormal results). Stop biotin 3–5 days before thyroid testing.

What if all my blood tests are normal but I'm still losing hair?

Consider androgenetic alopecia (genetic male/female pattern), telogen effluvium (post-stress shedding that resolves), traction alopecia (from styling), or scalp dermatology issues. Dermatologist evaluation appropriate. Hair transplant or topical minoxidil may help once medical causes excluded.

Blood Tests for Hair Loss — Complete Indian Workup

Why Test First

Why Hair Loss Needs Blood Tests — Not Just Topical Treatments

Most patients with hair loss are sold a topical or supplement before any test is done. This wastes months and money.

Hair loss with a medical cause — and most chronic hair loss has one — needs systematic blood testing first. The treatment depends entirely on the underlying cause.

Full Panel

The Complete Hair Loss Blood Workup

Test	Price	Why You Need It
CBC →	₹350	Anaemia is a common hair loss cause
Ferritin →	₹500	Low ferritin causes hair loss even with normal Hb
TSH →	₹200	Thyroid disease — hair loss is a classic symptom
Free T3 →	₹150	Active thyroid hormone — hair-relevant
Anti-TPO →	₹600	Hashimoto's — common Indian cause of hair loss
Vitamin D3 →	₹800	Deficiency contributes to telogen effluvium
Vitamin B12 →	₹600	Vegetarians especially
Total Testosterone (women) →	₹350	Elevated in PCOS — causes androgenetic alopecia in women
DHEA-S →	₹500	Adrenal androgen contribution
Prolactin →	₹350	Elevated prolactin can cause hair loss
Zinc →	₹700	Zinc deficiency affects hair quality

Common Findings

Most Common Findings (Indian Patients)

Low ferritin (women): The single most common reason for chronic diffuse hair loss in Indian women. Iron supplementation reverses it — usually 4–6 months.
Vitamin D deficiency: Universal contributor.
Subclinical hypothyroidism / Hashimoto's: Hair loss often the first symptom.
PCOS-related androgenetic alopecia (women): Crown thinning, recession at temples. Treatable with anti-androgen therapy.
Vitamin B12 deficiency (vegetarians): Often coexists with iron deficiency.
Telogen effluvium post-COVID, post-pregnancy, post-illness: Diffuse hair shedding 2–3 months after the trigger; resolves over 6–12 months but can be accelerated by correcting any underlying deficiencies.

Treatments

Topicals and Procedures — When They Work and When They Don't

Minoxidil (topical): Works for androgenetic alopecia. Doesn't work if cause is iron deficiency or thyroid — treat those first.

PRP for hair: Modest evidence for androgenetic alopecia. Wasteful if cause is medical (deficiency, thyroid, PCOS). Identify cause first.

Hair transplant: Permanent solution for advanced androgenetic alopecia, but only after medical causes are excluded and treated. Transplanting onto an active medical hair loss process can fail.

Supplements (biotin, multivitamin): Useful only if specific deficiency identified. Generic "hair, skin, nails" supplements rarely help and waste money.

FAQs