Hair Loss ICD-10-CM Codes
Read this short guide and learn about the different hair loss ICD codes. This information will allow you to improve your coding processes and ensure accurate billing.
Fact Checked by RJ Gumban.
What hair loss ICD codes can I use?
There’s a wide array of hair loss ICD codes you can use. A few specifically have hair loss in their names, and there are codes specific to Alopecia areata, a type of autoimmune disorder tied to hair loss. For this short guide, we will cover a bit of both:
- L65.9 - Nonscarring hair loss, unspecified
This ICD-10 code is meant to be used on a patient confirmed to have nonscarring hair loss. In the context of this ICD-10 code, the site of the hair loss isn’t specified. What is meant by nonscarring hair loss is that the hair follicles are preserved, which means that hair loss can be reversed and regrowth is still possible.
- L65.8 - Other specified nonscarring hair loss
This ICD-10 code is meant to be used on a patient confirmed to have nonscarring hair loss. This is only meant to be used if the person has nonscarring hair loss not covered by other ICD-10 codes.
- L63.9 - Alopecia areata, unspecified
This ICD-10 code is meant for a patient confirmed to have Alopecia Areata, the autoimmune disorder we mentioned earlier. The unspecified label points to the specific nature of the disorder to be unknown. All that is known is that the patient has the disorder.
- L63.0 - Alopecia (capitis) totalis
This ICD-10 code is meant to be used for a patient confirmed to have Alopecia Totalis. This type of Alopecia means that the person who has it is completely bald because it is characterized by the total loss of hair on the scalp.
- L63.1 - Alopecia universalis
This ICD-10 code is meant to be used for a patient confirmed to have Alopecia Universalis. This type of Alopecia means that the person who has it is completely hairless. Yes, even your eyebrows, body hair, pubic hair, all the hair.
- L66.9 - Cicatricial alopecia, unspecified
This ICD-10 code is meant to be used for a patient confirmed to have Cicatricial Alopecia. This is a scarring type of Alopecia, meaning the hair follicles are destroyed. This leads to scarring and permanent hair loss.
Are these hair loss ICD codes billable?
Yes. All the aforementioned ICD codes are valid and billable.
Clinical information about hair loss
Hair loss, or Alopecia, can result from many things, like inheriting Alopecia Areata, hormone changes, conditions that can affect hair, extreme stress, or aging.
Depending on the cause of the hair loss, it can either be temporary (meaning her regrowth is possible) or permanent (the hair follicles were destroyed, so hair regrowth becomes impossible). Treatment for hair loss will depend on the causes, so it’s best to test your patients first and find out the nature of their hair loss.
Synonyms include
- Alopecia
- Alopecia localis
- Diffuse alopecia
- Diffuse loss of scalp hair
- Failure of hair growth
- Loss of axillary hair
- Loss of body hair
- Loss of hair
- Loss of pubic hair
- Loss of scalp hair
- Non-scarring alopecia
- Scarring alopecia
- Scarring alopecia due to traumatic injury
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Commonly asked questions
Yes, but it’s best to refrain from using those codes. Consider using valid codes, the ones that have more specificity. These are billable, and many can be used as principal diagnoses.
Healthcare professionals can perform pull tests (pulling the hair and seeing how much comes off), blood tests, light microscopies, and scalp biopsies.
Treatment will depend on the findings and if it is possible to regrow the hair. Some healthcare professionals will prescribe certain medications like minoxidil and finasteride. Some might recommend laser therapy or hair transplant surgery.
