Today is a new dawn for American consumers. Since the invention of the computer and the age of the Internet, people have been given a window to peer in and engage with any and everything that they can read about or imagine. No longer are things in this life a mystery to the human race. As it was just a mere 40 years ago, people are learning and absorbing information at record speed due to the advances that man has made all over the globe. What a fascinating world we live in today.
Trichology is one of the latest phenomena. This science, which is the study of hair loss and scalp disorders, is taking the US by storm. No longer will people that suffer from hair loss to have to sit and ponder where they should go for help. Now, they will have the choices to see which specialist that they should see and why.
In the past, most people that started to experience hair loss would consult their hairdressers to see if they could help or if they even knew the answers to why the hair was thinning or coming out. Most hairdressers’ skills and knowledge were limited to using haircare products. Most that say they treat hair loss still could not do more than use the tools that they have and what is allowed. The only other option the hairdresser could do was to refer a client to a dermatologist.
When clients, who suffer from hair loss, visit a dermatologist there are certain protocols that a dermatologist have at their disposal. Most patients would be given Rogaine or Propecia to help their hair loss. If this does not help, they may be given a steroid injection in the scalp to see if this may help. Some also have scalp biopsies done to check for bacteria or fungus to see if this may be the cause of the person’s hair loss. When the end conclusion of all of these modalities do not work, it leaves the patient feeling hopeless, as well as helpless, because they are still losing their hair.
Others may find themselves visiting hair loss clinics where there are plastic surgeons or cosmetic surgeons who perform hair transplant surgery. Most people who go this route normally suffer from MPB or FBP.
It is a genetic form of hair loss where the person has balding on top and this type of surgery is what they desire to have done if they are a good candidate for this procedure. Now there are people who go to cosmetic surgeons, who also have been trained in performing this method of surgery, but perform small cosmetic procedures for people that want hair in the temples or a little more hair around the hairline as a touch up, where they do not need to do too much cutting. These are minimally invasive types of surgery that some people have their cosmetic doctors perform on them.
The trichologist, on the other hand, does what we call the overhaul work. Trichologists must be able to identify the type of hair loss a person is suffering from because this will be the determining factor as to what type of treatment will be performed on the client. In trichology clinics, we must examine all medical history along with visible symptoms on the scalp, if any. In addition, the trichologist should perform hair bulb extraction for lab sample collection, which, by the way, most dermatologists and plastic surgeons do not do to find out hair loss causes.
Once the hair samples are collected, go through its cleaning and treatment process, it is then ready to go under microscopic and polarization analysis. This procedure is vital in detecting hair loss disorders that people are experiencing that the other type of hair doctors normally miss if they are not trained in looking at hair bulbs in this manner. This is the only true way that a professional can help a client who has been suffering from unexplained hair loss. Rogaine should not be prescribed for genetic hair loss to a person who has anemic hair loss because the causes are completely different.
A trichologist knows that one is caused by deficiency of nutrients and scalp induration where the other is caused by DHT being supercharged by the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme which then Rogaine can be used for. But since Minoxidil was created, there have been so many advances in the hair loss sector to help both men and women that want alternative treatments for their hair loss problems. We know that Americans who have discovered trichology for themselves feel more hopeful in their outcome without having to resort to surgery and toxic medications and steroids. Our goal and mission here at Miyohara Trichology is to educate and show people that they do have choices in their treatment protocols. By giving them all the arsenal they need to reignite their hair treatment program, to help restore the quality and the healthiness of their scalp and hair, they will regain the confidence in their appearance. Once again, there is hope and trichology is the answer.
