Let’s talk about hair loss.
By Humankind Hair Director Anneliese Hesse.
3 minute read.
How many people, clients or not, do you know who have experienced hair loss?
People go to great lengths to conceal it, sometimes even from those closest to them.
But then here they are one day, sat in our chair, brave enough, desperate enough, to open up to us, their hairdresser, about it.
Except that’s often where the conversation ends, because as hairdressers, we don't get educated on anything to do with the scalp - hair loss or otherwise.
Hair loss, and many other scalp disorders, are not part of the hairdressing curriculum. They come under trichology. This is why I became a registered trichologist.
I chose to study trichology because I wanted answers both for myself and my clients.
I wanted to live up to and surpass their expectations with my knowledge, and be able to offer support when they needed it most.
And I was sick of googling everything and still not having a definitive answer.
So here’s a brief introduction to hair loss, which will hopefully leave you better equipped to handle such precious, personal moments with these clients.
An introduction to hair loss.
Hair loss may occur for many different reasons. When clients come to us they are often hoping for us to identify the cause, and provide them with a solution.
But unfortunately it is not often that straight forward.
The first thing to understand about hair loss is that it is always a symptom of another condition. This condition may be linked to nutrition, lifestyle, hormones, illness, or may be caused by an external trauma.
The key to treating hair loss is to first identify the cause.
This can be easier said than done as there may be many factors to consider.
For example, perhaps someone is experiencing patchy hair loss - alopecia areata - and upon consultation you discover that they:
1) recently started a new diet
2) are going through a stressful separation, or move
3) are recovering from an illness
4) have recently started taking a new medication
Any and all of these factors could be to blame for the hair loss so discovering which of them are the cause(s) may take some time.
On the contrary, you might carry out a thorough investigation but not find any factors that you suspect to be the cause.
In this instance, a referral to a medical professional might be a next step.
It's extremely important to handle conversations around hair loss with the utmost sensitivity. Not only can the physical aspect of it be very upsetting, and confusing, but the cause(s) may also be highly emotional, and possibly private, to the person experiencing it.
Even if you suspect you know the cause, or think you have a solution to offer, it's important to remember that what you say, and your actions here, can have a big impact. In short, it's advisable to listen, empathise and advise that they speak to their doctor and/or a certified trichologist.
Be aware that some forms of hair loss are temporary, but some are sadly permanent, so be mindful of saying things like 'don't worry, it will grow back with time'. Even though you of course have the very best intentions and want to comfort your client.
Only make a promise if you know, factually, that it can be kept.
This includes the above reassurance of regrowth, the promises of topical products, such as shampoos claiming to restart hair growth (spoiler alert - they probably don’t) and other services as solutions, such as hair extensions for example.
Remember, in order to treat hair loss you need to first identify the cause(s).
Until a diagnosis has been made by a medical professional and/or trichologist, you’re fumbling in the dark, and risk advising something that could potentially lead to further damage. Since hair loss is always a symptom of another condition it’s important to investigate it, find the cause, and treat it where necessary.
Interested in learning about hair loss and other scalp conditions?
We think you’ll like Bridging the Gap: Trichology for Hairdressers