Sudden Hair Fall? The Five Blood Tests Worth Doing Before Any Treatment

Most people treat hair fall with shampoos and serums for months before anyone checks the blood. In a large number of cases the cause is a deficiency or a thyroid problem that a simple panel picks up.

The Five Tests

• Thyroid Profile (TSH, T3, T4) — both hypo- and hyperthyroidism cause diffuse hair loss
• Serum Ferritin — the single most useful iron marker for hair; low ferritin causes shedding even when haemoglobin is normal
• CBC — anaemia, and a general picture of health
• Vitamin D — very commonly low in Gurugram office workers
• Vitamin B12 — low in vegetarians and long-term antacid users

Add fasting sugar / HbA1c if there is weight change, and a hormonal panel for women with irregular cycles or acne.

When to Test

Hair shedding after fever, delivery, crash dieting or a COVID-type illness is usually telogen effluvium and settles in three to six months. Test if shedding lasts beyond three months, if there is visible thinning at the parting, or if it comes with fatigue, weight change or cold intolerance.

How to Prepare

No fasting needed for thyroid, ferritin, B12 or vitamin D. Take the sample in the morning where possible, and stop biotin supplements for 3 days — biotin interferes with thyroid immunoassays and can produce misleading results.

Book a hair-fall panel with home collection in Sohna Road, Sector 67 or Nirvana Country, or explore our health packages.