DonÕt Suffer in Silence

Trichologist Trisha Buller was invited onto the famous sofa of ITV’s This Morning to tell all about National Hair Loss Awareness Month.

Goodness me, it’s summer already. But as much as I’m looking forward to getting some sunshine on my skin, I can’t let the time pass without reminding you all that May was National Hair Loss Awareness Month. I appreciate that, for most people, National Hair Loss Awareness Month is just another one of those good causes that barely enters the consciousness.

Unless, that is, you happen to be one of the 8 million women in the UK who are affected by hair loss. It’s a growing problem, too, which is why, as a qualified trichologist with my own practice in Berkhamsted and clinics in Harley Street and the City, I take more than a passing interest in this subject.

So, together with my colleagues at the Institute of Trichologists, we have been banging the drum to gain attention for National Hair Loss Awareness Month. To my surprise, doing my bit for the cause ended up with me being interviewed by Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley on ITV’s This Morning. I was joined by a woman called Mary who told an all-too-common story of losing her hair. First it started to come out in clumps, in little patches. But it kept on happening until she had lost almost 90% of her hair. When Mary visited her GP, hoping she’d be offered a solution, she was merely given a blood test and told to wait and see. Even when she was eventually referred to a dermatologist, the rather unhelpful advice was, ‘Learn to live with it’.

Fortunately for Mary, she didn’t leave it there. Through her own research, she managed to discover that her hair loss was largely caused by her diet and that the solution lay in beefing up her protein intake and taking appropriate supplements.

During her interview, Mary admitted that she could easily have become a recluse, too ashamed to face the world, if it hadn’t been for her children. She is far from alone, though. While we were still talking, a heartrending call came in from another viewer who had been driven to the brink of suicide when she was fobbed off by an unsympathetic doctor.

Both these sad tales demonstrate the largely untold story of the misery caused by hair loss. What’s sad about both of them is that, while a cure can never be guaranteed, treatment from a qualified trichologist can often bring about a huge improvement. Trichologists are hair and scalp specialists who are experts in diagnosing the causes of hair loss, breakage, thinning and scalp conditions. Hair loss can have many different causes and triggers, including diet, lifestyle, stress and family history. A consultation will explore the possible causes and lead to treatment that’s specifically suited to the individual case. If you are worried by hair loss, please don’t suffer in silence. The sooner you talk to an expert, the sooner you can get help.

Trisha Buller (MIT SRSH), salon director at Cienté is a fully qualified trichologist and a City & Guilds certified trainer and assessor. To speak to one of the Cienté team for more information on treatments and products, call 01442 877273. 169 High Street, Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 3HB. ciente.co.uk