TRICHOLOGY?
by Tony Pearce RN.
Specialist Trichologist, National Trichology
Services
Instyle Magazine,
January-February, 2000
 Wouldn’t
know what a trichologist was or why you’d send a
client to one? Read on…
“I can’t help you, you need to see
a trichologist...” was Tom Cruise’s advice to Nicole
in the movie ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ – and I’m still
waiting for her call!
From the days of ancient Egypt
with their precise ruler-straight styles, people
have been preoccupied with growing, cutting and
maintaining their hair. Even Julius Ceaser is said
to have worn an oak laurel whenever in public to
hide his balding patch!
Modern trichology, ‘the science of
the hair and scalp’, was established in England in
1912 as the Institute of Trichologists. Although
trichology in Australia is still in its relative
infancy, it’s a well-known, accepted field in
western Europe and the US.
I’ve sometimes been asked, ‘hair,
scalp... what’s the third part of “tri” chology?
Well, the textbook definition of trichology is
actually “the paramedical field for dealing with
problems of the hair and scalp.” This encompasses
hair loss, hair breakage, infections, scaling or
itchy scalp and excessively dry or oily scalp. And
whilst trichology is all those things, being a
trichologist is so much more – part investigator,
counselor, nurse, educator, writer, stylist,
sympathetic ear and shoulder to cry on are just some
of the hats worn as a practising trichologist. Not
unlike the unspoken roles of being a hairdresser!
The Trichologist – Hairdresser
Relationship
It’s not surprising then that
trichology and trichological referral is an integral
part of the services offered by the hairdressing
professional. If hairdressers are the artists who
create beautiful hair styles then trichologists
could be seen as the best ‘art supply store’ for
those clients whose hair quality falls below
expectation.
A client’s regular hairdresser is
often the first person they’ll confide in for any
hair or scalp concerns. With some hair loss
sufferers, it’s usually the hairdresser who makes
the client aware of the problem so most clients look
to their hairdresser for the right professional
advice when a hair or scalp problem has emerged.
Once a client has been seen and
appropriately advised/treated by the trichologist,
they should, as a professional courtesy and within
the bounds of client confidentiality, advise the
hairdresser about their condition, treatments
recommended or intended referral to another health
professional. In this way, trichologists and
hairdressers work together to provide a complete
service for the benefit of the client. This kind of
service usually evokes a loyalty from the client
that ‘cheaper haircuts’ elsewhere cannot win.
Lastly, potentially vulnerable
clients are at less risk of exposure to unscrupulous
commercial hair ‘clinics’ who play on the anxieties
of hair loss sufferers’ where the significant
motivation is large profit.
Trichologists & Client
Consultation
In consultation, the knowledge and
experience of the trichologist is utilised to
establish the nature of the client’s problem. Hair
is a very sensitive ‘barometer’ to imbalances in the
body – factors such as poor nutrition, medical or
genetic problems, medication and stress can
adversely affect their hair and skin. By taking a
careful and thorough client history, the
trichologist can in most cases, identify the cause
of the problem and where possible, treat it.
Hair Analysis
As part of the diagnosis, a
trichologist may analyse the hair microscopically or
have it analysed for its mineral levels, or suggest
blood tests be run.
Microscopic analysis of hair is
used to assess structural damage, establish the rate
of hair loss, confirm the presence of fungus or
lice, or identify genetic influences.
Mineral analysis of the hair in
specialised laboratories is used to access the
levels of such minerals as calcium, zinc, copper,
magnesium, chromium, lead, mercury, aluminium and
arsenic in the hair. These levels relate to the body
levels where efficient or excess levels can indicate
nutritional or medical problems that are affecting
the hair and skin. For some minerals hair mineral
analysis is actually more accurate than blood tests.
It’s not all balding men!
It’s actually women experiencing
hair loss, largely from nutritional, medical or
genetic causes, that makes up the majority of
trichology clients, followed by people suffering
from scalp psoriasis. Again, women appear to seek
treatment for this distressing complaint more often
than men. Those afflicted with the embarrassment of
alopecia areata comprise the third major group.
Trichologists are also seeing
increasing numbers of younger women with genetic
hair loss. By contrast, psoriasis and other
autoimmune conditions seem to be triggering more in
older adults than previously seen. One suggested
reason is that we’re continually being exposed to
new, foreign molecules and andorogen-like (male
hormone) substances which in a susceptible person
may trigger a genetic or autoimmune response. In my
opinion, in many cases it’s no co-incidence alopecia
areata begins on the same side of the head the
sufferer holds their mobile phone.
Medical v’s Natural?
The distinct advantage trichology
enjoys compared to other health related fields is
that it bridges the gap between conventional and
complimentary or natural medicine. This gives the
trichologist the scope and flexibility to select the
most appropriate treatment without being constrained
by the limitations of any one discipline.
There are natural alternatives to
prescription drugs for treating conditions such as
menopause, male balding, alopecia areata and
psoriasis. These natural products have been shown to
be as effective, safer and more economical in
clinical trials than their synthetic counterparts.
However, where medical conditions
are suspected in excessive hair loss, the clients
should be referred to a medical practitioner for
assessment.
There is undoubtedly a vast array
of hair and scalp problems out there, some of which
are straight forward in diagnosis and treatment,
others not so. Overall however, we know they cause
varying degrees of distress or embarrassment to the
sufferer. Add to this the frustration of many whose
complaints of hair loss is often trivialised or
dismissed by some medical practitioners as
unimportant. That’s where the expertise of
trichologists fills a much needed void.
Trichology is an ever-changing,
ever-broadening science. The hair and scalp are not
isolated external features of the body but rather
they reflect the wellbeing of many systems which
enable humans to function normally. This diversity
is perhaps the most appealing and challenging aspect
of trichology.
About the Author: Tony Pearce is a Specialist
Trichologist & Registered Nurse. He is a founding
member of the Society for Progressive Trichology &
the official lecturer for Analytical Reference
Laboratory (ARL) for hair loss & hormone imbalance.
In Australia he can be contacted on +61 2 9542 2700,
or through his website at
www.hairlossclinic.com.au.
Copyright Anthony Pearce
Copyright
Anthony Pearce 2005. *References for this article
available on request
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