Hair Loss? Do I need a doctor or a trichologist?

“I suffer from hair loss. It used to only be small patches, but recently almost half of my hair is missing! It changes. The only time I have a full head of hair is when I am pregnant! So this is not a long term solution! People have been telling me to go to a specialist – some people mentioned a Trichologist – it is a term I have only come across recently. So what I am wondering – is this a medical person? (i.e. a regulated treatment) I am not really sure, as my GP never mentioned this .”

Good job that you are critically thinking about the qualifications. Hair loss falls under one of those conditions that is medical, but also targeted by a still largely unregulated cosmetic industry category that we have talked about before (for example, cosmetic procedures and mole mapping).

Ask your GP for a referral. The most qualified person to look after your hair loss is a consultant dermatologist, who is a doctor on the IMC Specialist Register as a Dermatologist. A dermatologist has extensive training in diseases of the skin, hair, and nails.

Some private hair loss/cosmetic clinics will advertise that they have a doctor or a trichologist. What do you need to know about that to be an informed patient/consumer?

Double check the doctor’s credentials by asking directly or going to https://www.medicalcouncil.ie/Public-Information/Check-the-Register/. [A properly qualified specialist is never offended when you enquire as to their credentials when booking, and will always answer directly without putting off your question.] In Ireland, the lack of regulation mean that any doctor can advertise themselves as a “dermatologist”, providing services such as mole-mapping or hair loss consultation, without any adequate training. Diplomas and other unrecognised qualifications in aspects dermatology are widely and easily obtained (as I demonstrated here a couple of weeks ago in a post on dermoscopy), and are not evidence of adequate specialist training. Despite multiple safety issues in the cosmetic/dermatology industry highlighted in the media, to date, no real steps have been taken to better protect patients/consumers from doctors or practioners misrepresenting their qualifications when advertising their clinics.

What about trichologists? Trichology just means the study of the science of hair. Many are from hair dressing backgrounds and then undergo 2 – 4 years of training. However, they are not doctors, and there is little regulation of the industry in Ireland. They also can’t diagnose or treat all causes of hair loss (and there are many!) as they can’t do blood tests, etc. Always start with your GP. Some qualified dermatologists do work together with trichologists in dedicated hair loss clinics.