Hair Loss & Skin Health Blood Test in Kingston (Advanced Panel)

The Advanced panel is for women whose hair loss has a hormonal pattern (frontal recession, crown thinning, late-30s onward), is paired with acne, hirsutism or irregular periods, has persisted despite a normal Core workup, or has not responded to standard correction of iron and vitamin deficiencies. It is also useful for women on the perimenopause and PCOS pathways who want a single panel that covers hair, skin, androgens and metabolic health together. If you are starting from scratch with general shedding, the Core panel is the more cost-effective starting point.

Advanced keeps every marker in Core and adds: a full androgen profile (total testosterone, free testosterone, SHBG, DHEAS, androstenedione, prolactin), metabolic markers (HbA1c and a full lipid profile - total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides), and extended micronutrients (selenium, magnesium, vitamin A as retinol). This expands the picture from deficiency causes to include the hormonal and metabolic drivers of female pattern hair loss.

Most results are returned within 2 to 5 working days. The androgen and micronutrient tests can occasionally take a working day longer than the Core markers - if so, you will be informed in advance.

No. You can book online, in person at the clinic, or add the panel during a GP consultation at KONCEPT®. The doctor reviews each request for clinical appropriateness before the blood draw.

If you have regular periods, the androgen markers (testosterone, free testosterone, SHBG, DHEAS, androstenedione, prolactin) are most informative on day 2 to 5 of your menstrual cycle. If your periods are irregular or absent, the doctor will guide you on the best timing at booking. Iron and vitamin markers are stable across the cycle.

Fast for 8 to 12 hours before the appointment (water only) because the panel includes HbA1c and a lipid profile - non-fasting can affect triglyceride readings. Stay well hydrated. Stop biotin supplements 48 to 72 hours before the test as biotin interferes with several lab assays including TSH and Free T4. Mention any hormonal contraception, fertility medication, finasteride, spironolactone, or thyroid medication so the doctor can interpret your results correctly.

All tests are reviewed before and after the test by one of our GMC-registered doctors. A short outcome note with a next-step plan is sent to your email, password-protected. If results are normal, no further action is needed. If anything requires attention, the doctor will recommend a follow-up GP or dermatology consultation - either with your NHS GP or with one of our GPs at KONCEPT® (a £149 consultation fee applies if you choose KONCEPT®).

No. Female pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) is a clinical diagnosis based on the pattern of loss on examination, your history and family history. Advanced bloods give the most complete view of the medical drivers - especially the androgens that influence the condition - so that treatment options (topical, oral or in-clinic) target the right cause. For a clinical-pattern assessment, a dermatology consultation is the appropriate next step.

If your hair loss has a clear hormonal pattern, sits alongside acne, hirsutism or PCOS-type symptoms, or has persisted despite supplementation, the Advanced panel is the better single test - you get the full picture in one go without paying twice. If your hair loss is recent, general or seems clearly linked to a trigger like postpartum, weight loss or illness, the Core panel is the more cost-effective starting point and the doctor can upgrade you if needed.

A single administration fee that covers your whole visit, charged once per visit and never per test, however many tests you book. The all-in Advanced panel price of £659 already includes it.

Only with your written consent. We can send a clinical summary to your NHS GP for coordinated care, including any further dermatology, gynaecology or endocrinology referrals.

46 to 48 Wood Street, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1UW. KONCEPT® Medical Clinic is located opposite Kingston station. Parking nearby at the Bentall Centre.

Androgenetic alopecia is the medical term for female pattern hair loss in women (and male pattern hair loss in men). In women it presents as gradual central thinning with widening of the parting and relative preservation of the frontal hairline. The pattern is driven by genetic sensitivity of scalp hair follicles to androgens, particularly dihydrotestosterone (DHT) produced locally from testosterone by the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase. The Advanced panel reads the systemic androgen picture (the supply of androgens and the binding protein context); the diagnosis itself is made by a doctor or dermatologist combining the blood result with scalp examination and the Ludwig or Sinclair clinical scale.

Not on their own. Female pattern hair loss is a clinical diagnosis based primarily on the visible pattern (Ludwig or Sinclair scale), the history (onset, timing, triggers, family history), and a scalp examination. Blood tests support the diagnosis in three ways: by ruling out reversible contributors (iron, thyroid, vitamins), by reading the androgen and metabolic axis to see whether an androgenic mechanism is plausible, and by establishing a baseline if anti-androgen treatment is being considered later by a dermatologist.

The Foundation panel (£238, 6 markers) covers ferritin, TSH, Free T4, vitamin D, B12 and folate. These are the basic reversible nutritional and thyroid contributors. The Core panel (£408, 13 markers) adds full iron studies, Free T3, Anti-TPO thyroid antibodies, zinc and CRP, and is the right starting point for active diffuse shedding. The Advanced panel (£659, 27 markers) adds the full androgen profile (total and free testosterone, SHBG, free androgen index, DHEAS, androstenedione, prolactin), the metabolic markers (HbA1c, lipid profile) and additional minerals (selenium, magnesium, vitamin A). Advanced is the right panel when female pattern hair loss is suspected, when there are androgen-excess symptoms alongside the shedding, when the Core panel comes back unexpectedly normal, or when a comprehensive single-visit workup is preferred over staged escalation.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal condition that affects up to 1 in 10 women of reproductive age. The androgen profile that drives the PCOS picture (raised free testosterone, low SHBG, raised free androgen index, sometimes raised DHEAS) can also drive follicle miniaturisation at the scalp, contributing to a female pattern hair loss appearance. The Advanced panel covers the same androgen markers used in PCOS assessment, alongside the wider hair-loss panel. If the picture suggests PCOS specifically, the doctor will recommend the PCOS Blood Test (14 markers, including AMH and 17-OHP) for a Rotterdam-criteria-aligned assessment.

Insulin resistance is increasingly recognised as a driver of low SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin). When SHBG is low, more testosterone in the bloodstream is unbound and biologically active, which can drive follicle miniaturisation at susceptible scalp follicles. The Advanced panel includes HbA1c (a three-month picture of average blood glucose) and a full lipid profile alongside the androgen markers, so the doctor reads the metabolic and androgenic pictures together rather than separately. Addressing insulin resistance through diet, weight management and (where appropriate) medical input is often part of the wider plan when this picture is identified.

The most common reasons to start with Advanced or upgrade from Core are: a visible Ludwig or Sinclair pattern on the scalp, androgen-excess symptoms alongside the shedding (adult acne, hirsutism, irregular periods), a family history of female pattern hair loss, persistent shedding despite a normal Core panel and corrected supplements, an insulin-resistance or metabolic background, or considering anti-androgen treatment options with a dermatologist. See the "When to step up from the Core panel to Advanced" section above for the full decision criteria.

Treatment is not provided through the blood-test page. If the Advanced panel and clinical pattern suggest female pattern hair loss, the doctor will recommend an internal referral to the Female Hair Loss Clinic at KONCEPT® for dermatology assessment, where treatment options are discussed. The KONCEPT® clinical summary is shared with the dermatology team and (with your written consent) with your NHS GP for continuity. The blood test is the investigation step. The treatment conversation is the dermatology step.

Online home-kit hair-loss panels typically cover a useful set of nutritional markers (ferritin, vitamin D, B12) and sometimes total testosterone. The Advanced panel covers the full androgen profile required for the female pattern hair loss picture (SHBG, free androgen index, DHEAS, androstenedione, prolactin alongside total and free testosterone) plus HbA1c and a lipid profile for the metabolic context. The result is reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor who reads the androgen axis as a whole, alongside the visible pattern, family history and metabolic background, rather than producing an age-banded marker-by-marker PDF. See the comparison table above for the full side-by-side.