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Getting on top of hair health E-mail
Written by Christina Hession   
Wednesday, 17 January 2007
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Getting on top of hair health
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Christina Hession discusses hair health with Deborah Whelan from the Galway Skin and Trichology Clinic, the only specialist scalp and hair clinic serving the West of Ireland and the Midlands

Did you know that common male hair loss can start as young as 14 years of age, or that 40 per cent of women lose hair after childbirth?

2700 The Galway Skin and Trichology Clinic, Unit 2, Forster Court, is the only specialist scalp and hair clinic serving the West of Ireland and the Midlands. Deborah Whelan, who owns the clinic, is one of only two qualified trichologists in Ireland.

Deborah has a wealth of experience in the area, having opened her first clinic in Manchester in 1994. Fellow Mancunian Teresa Cosnett, who also runs the skin clinic, joins Deborah in the clinic. Trichology is the science and study of hair, and clinical trichology is the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the hair and scalp.

It is often said that 'hair is the barometer of health'. People with worries about hair loss, scalp and hair texture problems or those who just want sound, professional advice on keeping their hair and scalp in good condition, can contact the Galway Skin and Trichology Clinic for a consultation.

The consultation takes approximately an hour and costs ?65. The fee covers any follow-up check-ups that may be needed. During the consultation, Deborah will ask questions about the patient's health, family history, lifestyle, diet etc. She will make a diagnosis and suggest an appropriate treatment after this detailed consultation and a close examination.

One of the most common hair conditions presented at the Forster Street clinic is alopecia. Alopecia is a blanket term for hair loss of any kind. There are many types and causes of hair loss. Hair loss may be genetically inherited, or it may be caused by a variety of other factors, including protein or other dietary deficiencies, hormonal imbalance and stress.

The main type of hair loss, for which there is no effective treatment, is genetically inherited hair loss (known as Male Pattern Baldness) or Androgentic Alopecia. This condition also affects women. In women, the condition is likely to lead to diffuse hair loss rather than to obvious bald patches. Although, there is no cure for this condition, hair loss can be limited or slowed down in some cases, and treatments are likely to be more effective on women than on men. Meanwhile, Scarring Alopecia can occur after infectious scalp disorders. More rarely, they are autoimmune conditions.

Scalp problems can range from dandruff to more inflammatory conditions, such as psoriasis and eczema. As with the hair, these problems can be symptomatic of some other metabolic variation, like stress or poor diet. In some cases, allergies to certain foods can be responsible for the build up and shedding of dead skin cells. The management of hair and scalp that are excessively greasy is another area in which Deborah's advice is often sought.

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