“Coronavirus may have slowed us up, but what is on fire is hair. Everyone wants hair,” explained Wendy Roberts, MD, FAAD. Her virtual presentation, Hair Update 2020, at the Cosmetic Bootcamp Virtual Meeting on July 11, 2020, highlighted a number of new trends and updates in existing therapies for taking care of patients’ locks.

Hair is a rapidly growing field, and cosmetic dermatologists and other aesthetic specialists should examine their own practice for ways to expand into the field. Society views hair as an indicator of youth, health, and confidence, traits that aesthetic specialists seek to improve in their own patients. In addition, trichology is becoming a hot topic in research after years of dormancy.

Among the top trends for hair are:

• Platelet-rich plasma;
• Exosomes;
• Stem cell mesenchymal precursor cells;
• Microneedling with and without radiofrequency;
• Photomodulation as an adjunct;
• Micropigmentation; and
• Nutraceuticals.

Growing a hair practice is critical, said Dr Roberts. She recommends taking a few basic steps to incorporate hair by:

1. Telling everyone, from patients to colleagues, that you treat hair;
2. Utilize social media to market your available hair treatments and explain what you can do for hair disorders;
3. Adding questions such as “Do you have hair loss?” in patient intake forms and questionnaires;
4. Taking a moment to evaluate the hair and scalp during the full-body skin exam;
5. Deliver results, especially as patients are quick to spread negative feedback; and
6. Keep up with trends, best practices, and the literature.

But Dr Roberts noted that at the end of the day, the most important aspect of a hair practice is prevention. “My overall message is prevention of hair loss. We need a generational approach to evaluation, and start early if your patient has a family history,” she said.

Most importantly, aesthetics specialists should realize that hair loss genes are inherited from both parents and that 200 different genes regulate hair grown, so the combination of these genes can be unique and will not always pattern from one sibling to the next. In addition, diet, nutrition, and systemic disorders can play a huge role in hair loss.

Read more insights from CBC 2020 at our Cosmetic Bootcamp Insights page.

Reference
Roberts WE. Hair update 2020. Presented at: Cosmetic Bootcamp Virtual Meeting; July 11, 2020.