By trichologist and hairdresser Marilyn Searle

Many people do not know how a trichologist can help them because they do not really understand what a trichologist is. Trichology is a professional discipline to address all hair problems and requires years of study and experience.

Consulting with a trichologist earlier rather than later, can save you time and worry. A good trichologist is a hair detective and will often see problems that you never thought of.

I always give my client a thorough scalp check up to exclude inflammation, allergies, toxicity, scalp infections and lumps and bumps. The skin of the scalp incurs a large amount of ultraviolet light damage in Australia and over the years is a common site for cancers to occur. If I see anything suspicious or mysterious, I take a photo that can be sent to the client’s doctor. It is vitally important to examine the entire scalp at least once a year. People go for skin checks but remember the scalp is an extension of your skin.

A good trichologist can recognize patterns of hormonal hair loss that may incriminate problems with the thyroid gland, lack of progesterone or excess levels of male hormones (androgens). These hormonal imbalances can cause a lot of hair loss.