Classic male pattern baldness is usually diagnosed based on the appearance and pattern of the hair loss.

Hair loss may be due to other conditions. This may be true if hair loss occurs in patches, you shed a lot of hair, your hair breaks, or you have hair loss along with redness, scaling, pus, or pain.

A skin biopsy, blood tests, or other procedures may be needed to diagnose other disorders that cause hair loss.

Hair analysis is not accurate for diagnosing hair loss due to nutritional or similar disorders. But it may reveal substances such as arsenic or lead.