What is DUPA Hair Loss and What Signs Should I Look For?

This question was posed  by a female hair loss sufferer seeking hair loss  help  on our hair restoration forum  and answered by  Dr. Michael Beehner  of Saratoga Springs, NY who is one of our recommended hair restoration physicians. His professional answer is below.

I’ve been researching DUPA hair loss  for the last few weeks and noted one thing that may sound awkward but i thought it would be best to ask for knowledge.   i have noted that in images that show the process of DUPA   i.e. on Dr. Bernstein’s  website and other images, how come they always show the right side of the head and the sides and back. Is this where DUPA starts from and then spreads or is this a coincidence?

DUPA, which stands for “Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia”, affects all of the potential donor hair on the back wall and on both side walls.   By definition, it is the presence diffusely through these hairs of miniaturized hairs  which are hairs with a limited number of life cycles left before they disappear.

Sometimes this can be picked up early with an in-office magnification device by an expert in hair loss diagnosis.   Often times it is obvious to the patient and his family by simply looking at these areas, in which you can “see through” to the bare scalp when it is moderately advanced.

As to why you only get those two views, my guess is that he feels the right and the left views would be identical and he’s giving you a representative view.   Some hair restoration clinics only take a side view of one side and don’t photograph both unless there is a difference. We used to only take a left view when we used film, to help save on photographic costs, but now do both sides with the less expensive digital modality.

Mike Beehner, M.D.

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Bill
Associate Publisher/Editor

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