The Belgravia Centre Blog

Trichology is the science of the human hair. So a good trichologist is a hair expert – somebody who has studied the hair and scalp and knows which hair loss treatments work and which don’t.

But how do you define a good trichologist? Well most hair loss is caused by a condition called male pattern hair loss (for men) or female pattern hair loss (for women). There are proven trichological treatments for this genetic hair loss condition and these are the only ones that Belgravia recommends as a treatment basis. The treatments are Propecia (men only) and minoxidil (men and women) and used as part of a specially combined treatment course, will usually result in not only hair loss prevention, but also hair restoration (the amount or regrowth being different from person to person).

If your hair loss is genetic and you’ve been recommended anything other than one or more of these two treatments then we advise you to approach the trichologist you are dealing with with suspicion. Many trichologists concoct their own natural or herbal remedies for hair loss. They usually contain products that are said to block DHT (the product in the body that causes genetic hair loss) locally, around the scalp. In an ideal world the thought that a completely herbal product could prevent hair loss would be great, but unfortunately there’s no evidence to show natural treatments work. The only trichological product that blocks DHT effectively is Propecia, and it’s taken as a pill, not a solution applied to the scalp. Minoxidil is a liquid applied locally but it works in a different way, by increasing blood supply to the hair follicles resulting in increased nutrients being delivered.

And another aspect of trichology is dealing with the underlying cause of a person’s thinning hair. In some cases hair loss could be caused by a reason other than genetics. An example is anemia, which is an iron deficiency. This condition frequently causes excessive hair shedding, usually in women, and taking an iron supplement could solve the problem.

WARNING – because trichology is not a medical qualification, there is no regulation on who can and can’t call themselves a trichologist so we hear of salesmen with no qualifications passing as trichologists. We even know of a hair loss consultant that frequently passes himself as ‘Europe’s leading trichologist’. We advise that you always request to see some form of medical or trichological certification when visiting a trichologist to ensure you are dealing with somebody that can genuinely diagnose your condition and recommend a safe and effective course of action.

Belgravia’s trichologists consist of certified trichologists, nurses and doctors so you can be confident that when you visit for a hair examination you are in the hands of an expert. Our pharmacy ensures we are able to prescribe all of the medically proven treatments for hair loss, meaning our treatment combinations are the most effective available. Our hair loss photo-scans are testament to this. All patients who visit the centre are monitored with photos.

You can arrange a free consultation today by MESSAGING THE CENTRE or calling 020 7730 6666

Leonora Doclis, Belgravia's senior trichologist