| Diffuse | |
| Female pattern hair loss | Presents with hair thinning; frontal hairline intact; negative pull test away from hair loss |
| Male pattern hair loss | Presents with hair thinning; M pattern; negative pull test away from hair loss |
| Diffuse alopecia areata | Distribution more patchy; positive pull test |
| Alopecia totalis or universalis | Total hair loss on the scalp and/or body |
| Telogen effluvium | 30 to 50 percent of hair loss three months after precipitating event; positive pull test |
| Anagen effluvium | Sudden hair loss of up to 90 percent two weeks following chemotherapy |
| Focal | |
| Nonscarring | |
| Alopecia areata | Normal scalp with surrounding exclamation point hairs |
| Tinea capitis | Scaly scalp with fungus visible on potassium hydroxide examination |
| Traction alopecia | Patchy; related to hair practices; may have some scarring |
| Trichotillomania | Patchy; may be some scarring and associated psychological disturbance |
| Scarring (cicatricial) | Scarring and atrophy of scalp (e.g., discoid lupus erythematosus) |