Hair Loss Dermatologist in Riyadh for Expats: An English-Speaking Consultant's Guide
By Dr. Mohammed AlQahtani — Consultant Dermatologist and hair loss specialist, Noya Clinic, Riyadh. Last medical review: October 2026.
If you have moved to Riyadh and your hair loss started, worsened, or simply needs a doctor who will continue the plan you began at home, this page is written for you. I am a Saudi-board consultant dermatologist with a fellowship in hair disorders, I consult in English, and most of what expatriate patients ask me is answered below so that your first visit can go straight to the examination.
Who I am and how I work
I am certified by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties as a consultant in dermatology and completed a dedicated hair fellowship under Dr. Jeff Donovan, a Canadian hair loss specialist. My practice is limited to hair and scalp: male and female pattern hair loss, telogen effluvium, alopecia areata, scarring alopecias and scalp conditions. I do not perform hair transplants and I have no incentive to sell you a procedure. Every new patient gets the same three things first: a careful history, a trichoscopy examination of the scalp, and standardised photographs that we repeat at each follow-up so that progress is measured rather than guessed.
Continuing a treatment you started abroad
This is the most common reason expatriates come to see me. In most cases the plan can continue unchanged; what I need is to confirm the diagnosis and check that the treatment is still the right one.
- Finasteride and dutasteride are available in Saudi Arabia on prescription. Bring your previous prescription or a note of the dose; I will re-prescribe after a short review.
- Topical minoxidil (2% and 5%, foam and solution) is sold in Saudi pharmacies without a prescription. Low-dose oral minoxidil is off-label here as elsewhere; I prescribe it after a blood pressure and medication review.
- Spironolactone for women is available on prescription and needs periodic potassium checks, which we can arrange.
- Compounded or branded products from home (combination topicals, caffeine shampoos, peptide serums): tell me what you were using. Some have an evidence-based equivalent here; some do not need replacing at all.
If you have a letter, photographs or trichoscopy images from your previous dermatologist, bring them on your phone. Old photographs are especially valuable, because they let us judge whether the hair loss has progressed since you arrived.
Hair loss after moving to Saudi Arabia
Many people notice increased shedding three to six months after relocating. The usual explanation is a telogen effluvium triggered by the stress of the move, a change in diet, illness, or an unrecognised deficiency; vitamin D and iron deficiency are both common in this region, including in people who were replete at home. This type of shedding is temporary and usually recovers once the trigger has passed and any deficiency is corrected. What matters is to distinguish it from pattern hair loss that was already present and has simply become more visible, because the two are treated differently. Trichoscopy and a small set of blood tests settle the question at the first visit.
Hard water, air conditioning and the climate are often blamed. They can affect how the hair feels and breaks, but they do not cause follicles to miniaturise. If your hair is thinning at the crown or the parting, the cause is almost never the water.
What the first visit looks like
- A history in English covering your hair loss, family history, medications, supplements and recent illnesses or weight changes.
- Trichoscopy of the scalp to identify the pattern and the degree of miniaturisation.
- Standardised photographs that become your baseline.
- Blood tests only when they are needed: typically ferritin, vitamin D and thyroid function, with hormonal tests for women when indicated. Results can be collected at the clinic or sent to you.
- A written plan, in English, with a realistic timeline. Most treatments need three to six months before improvement shows, and are assessed properly at twelve months.
Insurance and payment
I do not work with insurance companies, and the clinic does not bill insurers directly for my consultations. Visits are paid directly to the clinic, and you receive an itemised receipt. Whether your own policy reimburses out-of-network care is a question for your insurer; many international policies do, but I cannot promise it on their behalf. There are no packages and no prepayment: you pay for the consultation, and for any procedure only if and when we decide together that it is worth doing.
Which treatments I recommend, and which I do not
My recommendations follow the evidence rather than the market. For pattern hair loss the foundation is finasteride or dutasteride for men, minoxidil for men and women, and spironolactone or related anti-androgens for women when appropriate. Microneedling and PRP are adjuncts with moderate evidence that I use alongside medication, not instead of it. Low-level laser devices are safe and modestly helpful at best. Exosomes, stem cell preparations and most "regenerative" packages are marketed heavily in the Gulf; the evidence for them is preliminary, and I explain that frankly rather than selling them. If you are told elsewhere that you need a package of injections before anyone has examined your scalp with a dermatoscope, ask why.
Practical details
- Where: Noya Clinic, Al Nakheel district, north Riyadh. Clinic days are Saturday to Wednesday.
- Language: consultations are in English or Arabic, whichever you prefer. Written plans and prescriptions are in English on request.
- Booking: through the consultation page; the clinic coordinators reply on WhatsApp between 9am and 10pm. Diagnosis is in person only; I do not assess photographs sent by message.
- Follow-up: normally at three to six months, with photographs compared to your baseline.
- Leaving Saudi Arabia: if you relocate again, I can provide a summary letter with your diagnosis, trichoscopy findings and current plan so that your next dermatologist can continue without starting over.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an English-speaking hair loss dermatologist in Riyadh?
Yes. Dr. Mohammed AlQahtani is a Saudi-board consultant dermatologist specialising in hair loss who consults in English at Noya Clinic in Al Nakheel, north Riyadh. Consultations, written plans and prescriptions can all be provided in English.
Can I continue finasteride or minoxidil I started in another country?
Usually yes. Finasteride and dutasteride are prescription medicines in Saudi Arabia and can be re-prescribed after a short review. Topical minoxidil is sold over the counter in Saudi pharmacies. Bring your previous prescription or a note of the dose.
Why did my hair start falling out after I moved to Riyadh?
Increased shedding a few months after relocating is most often a temporary telogen effluvium triggered by the stress of the move, illness, diet change or a deficiency such as low vitamin D or iron, which are common in the region. It usually recovers. Trichoscopy and blood tests distinguish it from pattern hair loss that needs ongoing treatment.
Do you accept international health insurance?
No. Consultations are paid directly to the clinic and you receive an itemised receipt. Whether your policy reimburses out-of-network care depends on your insurer.
Do I need a procedure like PRP or exosomes at the first visit?
No. The first visit is for diagnosis: history, trichoscopy and baseline photographs. Procedures are considered later, as adjuncts to proven medical treatment, and only if the evidence and your diagnosis justify them.
What should I bring to the appointment?
Any previous prescriptions, blood results, dermatologist letters and older photographs of your hair, all of which can be on your phone. A list of supplements and medications you take is also useful.
Written and medically reviewed by Dr. Mohammed AlQahtani, Consultant Dermatologist and Hair Specialist (Saudi Commission for Health Specialties). Last reviewed: October 2026. This page is for information only and does not replace an individual consultation.