Did you know that there are some 50 different types of hair loss, 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?
Trichologist Deborah Whelan MIT is one of a handful of qualified scalp and hair specialists in Ireland. She has been working in Galway city for six years, having opened her first practice in the UK in 1994.
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. Ms Whelan has a wealth of experience in this area and as well as providing proven treatments for scalp disorders, hair thinning, and alopecia, she has an extensive supply of wigs and hairpieces for alopecia and cancer patients.
Deborah Whelan regularly contributes to radio discussions on hair loss and she has also appeared on RTE and TV3, including the How Healthy Are You? series, to discuss the increasingly common problem of alopecia in women. She is a member of the Institute of Trichologists and is listed as a registered expert with the Irish Cancer Society.
It is often said that hair is the ‘barometer of health’. People with worries about hair texture, hair loss, scalp psoriasis and eczema, or problems with slow or poor growth and who want sound, professional, advice can arrange an appointment for a consultation with Deborah Whelan from Tuesdays to Saturdays in Galway city centre. The consultation takes up to an hour and free check-ups are included in the €65 consultation fee.
During the consultation Ms Whelan will ask questions about the patient's recent health, family history, lifestyle, diet, etc. She will make a diagnosis and suggest appropriate treatment after a detailed consultation and a close examination of the hair and scalp. These treatments range from natural to prescription treatments in tablet or topical form. Microscopic analysis is available for suspected fungal infections or hair shaft abnormalities.
To mark six years in business in Galway, Deborah Whelan is offering a free shampoo and conditioner worth €30 with every consultation to Galway Advertiser readers.
Alopecia
Alopecia is the medical term for any type of hair loss and there are many causes of this very distressing condition. Surprisingly up to half of all cases of hair loss are self inflicted — it can be caused by crash dieting, over exercising, poor nutrition, hair pulling, medications, hair straightening, styling, and colouring. Hair loss can be a reflection of a person’s lifestyle and health, indicating the stresses, tensions, and variations in the body's system. It can be triggered by a shock, prolonged stress, or a fever.
Many people would not dream of consulting their doctor about hair loss, believing it to be genetically inherited and something that they have to accept. According to Deborah Whelan, however, this is not the case at all as very effective, proven, treatments are also available to control genetic thinning and provide clearly visible hair regrowth. Ms Whelan receives referrals from GPs and hairdressers. Most people are given treatments to use at home and they can call in to have their progress monitored without any charge.
Scalp disorders diagnosed by trichologists include fungal infections, folliculitis, eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, scarring alopecia, psoriasis, pruritis, and pityriasis amiantacea. These are treated with topical trichological products, many of which are antimicrobial, remove excess dead skin cells, hydrate and soothe the scalp, and calm any acceleration in the production of skin cells. A build-up of skin cells or heavy scaling on the scalp can cause hair loss. Many of the treatments for these conditions contain natural ingredients.
Deborah Whelan is located at 37 Eyre Street, Galway, and can be contacted on (091 ) 565148 or (091 ) 561011. Her website www.trichologist.ie provides lots of information about trichology and herself.
