Hair loss Blood Test
Hair loss is a common and often distressing problem, but in many cases, a blood test can identify or rule out a treatable underlying cause. Nutritional deficiencies, thyroid dysfunction, hormonal imbalances, and iron-related anaemia are among the most frequently identified contributors, and all respond well to targeted treatment once identified.
Tamar Health offers two hair loss blood test profiles designed to give you a clinically meaningful picture without unnecessary duplication. Your sample is processed by Nationwide Pathology, a UKAS-accredited UK laboratory, and results are returned the next working day.
Choose your profile
Not sure which to choose? The Basic profile covers the most common treatable causes. The Full profile adds androgen markers, making it the better option if you’re experiencing pattern hair loss, have been told your hair loss may be hormonal, or have other symptoms suggesting androgen excess (such as acne or irregular periods).
- Full Blood Count (FBC) — anaemia, red cell indices
- Iron & Ferritin — iron stores (key hair loss marker)
- Transferrin Saturation — iron transport efficiency
- Thyroid Function (TSH, Free T4) — thyroid activity
- Vitamin D — common deficiency linked to hair loss
- Vitamin B12 & Folate — nutritional status
- Zinc — essential trace element for hair growth
- CRP — inflammation marker
- Glucose — metabolic baseline
- Everything in Hair Loss Basic, plus:
- Testosterone (Total) — androgen level
- Free Androgen Index (FAI) — bioavailable testosterone
- SHBG — sex hormone binding globulin
- LH & FSH — pituitary hormones
- Prolactin — elevated levels can cause hair loss
- DHEA-S — adrenal androgen
- Oestradiol — oestrogen level
What the results can tell you
Blood tests cannot diagnose every form of hair loss — pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia), for example, is a clinical diagnosis. However, tests are valuable for identifying conditions that either cause hair loss directly or make it significantly worse, including:
- Iron deficiency and anaemia — low ferritin is one of the most common and correctable causes of diffuse hair thinning, particularly in women
- Thyroid dysfunction — both an underactive and overactive thyroid can cause hair shedding; TSH is a sensitive marker
- Nutritional deficiencies — vitamin D, B12, folate, and zinc all play a role in the hair growth cycle
- Hormonal imbalance — elevated androgens (tested in the Full profile) can drive female pattern hair loss and are a key feature of PCOS
- Raised inflammation — CRP can flag systemic conditions that may be contributing to hair loss
How to book
- Book online — select a phlebotomy appointment and choose your profile at checkout
- Come to the clinic — we’re based at Tor Clinical Rooms, Estover, Plymouth, with free on-site parking. Easily accessible from Saltash, Tavistock, Ivybridge, Liskeard, and across Devon and Cornwall via the A38 and Tamar Bridge
- Sample taken in minutes — sent the same day to Nationwide Pathology
- Results by email — next working day for most profiles, with a clinician summary included
View the full blood test price list →
Ready to book?
Appointments available this week at our Plymouth clinic. No GP referral needed.
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