Hair loss has a way of becoming the first thing you notice in the mirror and the last thing other people understand.

Friends may tell you that everyone sheds. Advertisements may promise dramatic regrowth from a supplement, shampoo, or procedure. Meanwhile, you are trying to figure out whether the amount of hair in the shower is normal, whether your part is getting wider, and whether waiting will make the problem harder to treat.

The most useful first step is not automatically PRP, a vitamin, or a prescription. It is determining why the hair loss is happening.

Mandel Dermatology will offer hair-loss evaluation and treatment at our Palm Beach Gardens office beginning September 8, 2026, including medical treatment and PRP for appropriate patients.

When Is Hair Shedding Worth an Appointment?

Some daily shedding is normal. What matters is whether the pattern has changed.

Consider making an appointment if you notice a widening part, thinning at the temples or crown, a receding hairline, much more hair than usual in the shower or brush, a smooth bald patch, loss of eyebrows or eyelashes, or scalp itching, tenderness, scale, or burning.

It is also worth being evaluated when hair loss begins after pregnancy, illness, surgery, rapid weight loss, a major stressor, a medication change, or a change in hormones.

Sudden, painful, inflamed, patchy, or potentially scarring hair loss should be assessed sooner rather than later.

What Happens at a Hair-Loss Consultation?

The first part of the appointment is a detailed conversation. Your provider will want to know when the shedding or thinning began, whether it happened suddenly or gradually, and where you first noticed it.

You may be asked about family history, recent illness, pregnancy, menopause, diet, weight changes, stress, medications, supplements, hair-care practices, and prior treatments.

The scalp and hair are then examined closely. The provider looks at the distribution of thinning, the condition of the scalp, signs of inflammation or scarring, and differences in the diameter and density of individual hairs. Trichoscopy, a magnified examination of the hair and scalp, may be used when appropriate.

Depending on what is found, the next step may include bloodwork, a gentle hair-pull test, photographs for comparison, or occasionally a small scalp biopsy.

The purpose is not to order every possible test. It is to gather enough information to distinguish among the likely causes and choose treatment that actually matches the diagnosis.

Why the Diagnosis Changes the Treatment

Hereditary pattern hair loss, temporary stress-related shedding, alopecia areata, traction hair loss, inflammatory scalp disease, and scarring alopecia can all look like “hair loss” to the patient, but they do not behave the same way.

A treatment that may help one condition can do very little for another. Some conditions improve when the trigger resolves. Others are progressive and are easier to control when treatment begins early.

This is why a supplement or online prescription selected without a scalp examination can waste time, even when the product itself is legitimate.

What Medical Hair-Loss Treatment May Include

The treatment plan depends on the diagnosis, medical history, goals, and budget.

Options may include topical medication, oral medication, medicated shampoos, anti-inflammatory treatments, scalp injections, changes to hair-care practices, or a combination of approaches.

Some commonly used hair-loss medications are prescribed off label. That does not mean they are experimental, but it does mean the provider must consider whether the potential benefit makes sense for you.

Pregnancy plans, blood pressure, heart history, other medications, and possible side effects can all change which treatments are appropriate. The goal is not to prescribe the longest list. It is to build a plan you can use safely and consistently.

What Is PRP for Hair Loss?

Platelet-rich plasma, usually called PRP, is prepared from a small sample of your own blood. The blood is processed to concentrate the platelet-rich portion, which is then injected into selected areas of the scalp.

PRP may be recommended for certain patients with pattern hair loss or other forms of thinning, often in combination with medical treatment.

It is not a universal treatment for every type of hair loss. PRP cannot replace an accurate diagnosis, and it is unlikely to solve hair loss caused by an untreated inflammatory, scarring, nutritional, hormonal, or medication-related problem on its own.

The Palm Beach Gardens office will offer PRP for hair loss. Your provider will explain whether it is likely to add meaningful benefit in your case, how many sessions may be recommended, and what maintenance may involve.

The Mandel Hair Loss Protocol

The Mandel Hair Loss Protocol is a customized, multi-layered approach that may combine foundational care, such as oral or topical medication, with regenerative treatments such as PRP.

The protocol is not one fixed package for every patient. A person with postpartum shedding may need a very different plan from someone with hereditary pattern thinning or alopecia areata.

Your treatment plan is built around the diagnosis, medical history, test results, goals, budget, and the services available at the Palm Beach Gardens location.

How Quickly Should You Expect Results?

Hair grows slowly, so hair-loss treatment is rarely satisfying in the first few weeks.

The earliest sign that treatment is helping may be less shedding rather than obvious regrowth. Changes in density and coverage usually take months to evaluate, which is why standardized photographs and follow-up appointments are useful.

Results depend on the cause, how long the loss has been present, whether follicles have been permanently damaged, and how consistently the treatment is used. No ethical provider can guarantee complete regrowth.

Will Insurance Cover Hair-Loss Care?

Insurance may cover the medical evaluation and certain tests or treatments when they are medically necessary, depending on the diagnosis and plan.

PRP and other regenerative hair-restoration services are generally self-pay. You can review Mandel Dermatology's insurance information and cosmetic pricing before your visit.

Coverage verification is not a guarantee of payment, and the final cost may depend on what is diagnosed and what treatment is selected.

How to Prepare for the Appointment

Bring a list of medications and supplements, recent laboratory results if you have them, and the names of any hair-loss treatments you have already tried.

Photos from six months or a year ago can help show how your density or hairline has changed. Try not to apply heavy hair fibers, scalp concealer, or thick styling products immediately before the examination.

Schedule a Hair-Loss Appointment in Palm Beach Gardens

Hair-loss appointments will be available at Mandel Dermatology Palm Beach Gardens with Dr. Mitchell Mandel and Christine Sacco, FNP-C. The office is located at 3345 Burns Road, Suite 101, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410.

Visit our Palm Beach Gardens location page or use our online appointment page to schedule beginning September 8, 2026.

You do not need to know what kind of hair loss you have before booking. Figuring that out is the reason for the appointment.