What is hair trichology?

By Prof. Dr. Soner Tatlidede 2020-10-20

What is hair trichology? Trichology is the scientific study of hair, its care and its pathologies. It is an area of study within dermatology that is becoming increasingly important as more is known every day about the importance of hair as an indicator of health problems in the rest of the body, but also due to the growing demand for hair transplants.

Many people looking for information on the cost of a hair transplant in Turkey have consulted a trichologist before. In fact, aesthetics has a great importance in trichology since hair is a very important part of our personal image, and even defines our personality: any hair problem will be quickly perceived by others, affecting seriously to our psycho-emotional health. However, trichology can help us prevent hair loss.

Origins of trichology

It should be noted that trichology is still a very young science, possibly one of the youngest when it comes to human body health, which means that it still has a lot of potential for development, but also that there is still much unknown about hair and its pathologies. In fact, the origins of trichology can't be found until the 19th century during the Victorian era in the United Kingdom, when a great interest in studies related to human body surged.

Although it may seem unbelievable, until then little or nothing was known about hair and how it works, since for centuries hairs were considered nothing more than secretions or "waste" expelled by the body itself; this conception can be traced back to the Greek philosopher Aristotle, who during the Classical period in Ancient Greece spoke of hair as an excretion from the body that solidifies on contact with air. This idea survived during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

Although the structure of human hair could be determined during the 19th century, the existent limitations then meant that it was not until the 20th century - thanks to molecular biology and genetics - when the most important advances in trichology took place, responding to issues such as hair birth and growth, its function on human body, or its main pathologies. However, even nowadays there are still many unanswered questions about hair.

What is a hair trichologist?

Once it is clear that trichology is the study of hair and its problems, and that it also diagnoses and treats hair diseases, it is time to explain what is a trichologist, what does he/she do, and why is different from a dermatologist.

In short, we can say that while a dermatologist diagnoses all skin diseases - including those of the scalp - a trichologist is a dermatologist specialised just in hair and scalp pathologies, diagnosing and treating conditions ranging from dandruff to alopecia itself.

Although trichology is theoretically a branch of dermatology, the truth is that actually not all trichologists are necessarily dermatologists, since doctors of other medical specialities can receive trichology courses and masters to become also trichologists.

There are also trichology courses aimed at people without a medical degree -  for example hairdressing workers. However, our recommendation is indeed to completely distrust this type of professionals, and always resort to specialists with a medical degree and with certifications endorsed by prestigious universities.

When should I see a trichologist?

Any time you experience hair loss problems or symptoms of any hair condition, you should ask an appointment to see a trichologist, which is the only one capable of correctly carry out a trichogram: that is, a detailed hair analysis taking hair samples from the patient and analysing them in a laboratory. Trichology can provide a treatment for hair loss and other conditions, but the diagnosis must be carried out by true specialists with the necessary knowledge and training.

That is why it is so important that, when recurring to a specialist in hair trichology, we must be sure that he/she is a doctor with the necessary qualifications and enough experience, capable of diagnosing our case and finding a proper treatment. At Clinicana we have the best hair doctor in Turkey, trained at the Harvard Medical School: thanks to him, our patients' reviews on hair transplant in Turkey are excellent. Ask for your free online consultation now!