What is the difference between a dermatologist, trichologist and hair restoration specialist?

Question

What Is the difference between a Dermatologist ,Trichologist & Hair Restoration Specialist?

Robert Nettles, MD · Answer

Thanks Lila.Frances for your great question!

Let's go through the specialties one by one.

Dermatologists - A dermatologist is a doctor who specializes in conditions involving the skin, hair, and nails. A dermatologist can identify and treat more than 3,000 conditions. These conditions include eczema, psoriasis, and skin cancer, among many others.  Note that except for a few exceptions, dermatologists main training and focus is on the skin.  To learn about hair they need to pursue additional training and education on their own.  They do not learn about genetics, endocrinology, biochemistry, nutrition or any of the other deeper factors which contribute to hair loss.  However if you have telogen effluvium, alopecia areata or any kind of bacterial or fungal scalp (skin) condition, they should be able to help. Treatment from dermatologists is generally surface level - they do specialize in the skin afterall.

Trichologists - A trichologist is a specialist who focuses on trichology — the study of diseases or problems related to the hair and scalp, as well as their treatments.  Most trichologists come from a hair stylist or barber background and then go to school to learn trichology.  They have a good understanding of the hair growth cycle and are able to identify the different types of hair loss and what to look for.  They are not doctors, or nurses and cannot prescribe medicines or give injections, but they can help with over the counter or non-prescription solutions.  They do not study nutrition, biochemistry, genetics or endocrinology.  They work primarily on conditions affecting the scalp (skin) and the hair outside the scalp.

Hair Restoration Specialist - Hair restoration is the term widely used in the industry for hair transplants.  Although now also some are using it for hair replacement systems such as glue on wigs and hair pieces.  If you are talking about hair transplant surgery - these are doctors who specialize in moving hairs from one part of your scalp to another.  Note that hair transplants (and hair systems) do not stop hair loss and if you decide to go this route (unless you combine it with something that also stops hair loss) you will need to continue with more transplants over time and depending on your genetic profile you may run out of donor hair before you are done.

Hair Regrowth Specialist - I'd like to introduce you to a new category which is the hair regrowth specialist.  They are medical Doctors, generally functional or precision medicine specialists, who have also studied genetics, endocrinology, biochemistry and nutrition so that they understand how all the different systems of the body work together and have learned that hair loss, despite having a genetic component for 95% of cases is not caused by just one thing but a multiple factors working together that all need to be treated to first stop and then regrow your own natural hair.  A hair regrowth specialist will not provide any treatment without first having you take a comprehensive blood test called the Biochemical Report Card.  Accurate diagnosis is essential to understand all the factors contributing to your individual hair loss case and then creating a personalized program that will 1st treat those to rebalance your individual biochemistry and then regrow your own natural hair.

Best of luck with your search and in finding the right specialist to help you!

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

A dermatologist is a medical doctor who specializes in skin and scalp disorders, a trichologist is not an MD but only looks at scalp disorders and a hair restoration specialist is often a surgeon specializing in hair transplantation and in the medical treatment of hair loss

What is the difference between a dermatologist, trichologist and hair restoration specialist?

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What is the difference between a dermatologist, trichologist and hair restoration specialist?

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