Disorders of the scalp & nails
Diagnosis and treatment of scalp and nail disorders is part of a Dermatologist's work. Hair problems might include patchy or diffuse hair loss, excessive facial hair growth and various skin conditions affecting the scalp such as psoriasis, eczema and seborrhoeic dermatitis. Usually treatment for these can begin with the first appointment. We also diagnose and treat nail changes which may be due to a variety of internal or external factors.
Hair loss
The hair growth problems we see most often in clinic are diffuse, hormone-related hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) and patchy hair loss (alopecia areata).
Hormone-related hair loss is a very common and distressing problem that can occur in either sex, but even more so in men. For women, we can do blood tests to assess your hormone levels. Results though, are often normal as in androgenic hair loss, the hair follicles often simply 'over-react' to regular levels of male hormones in everyone's bloodstream. We offer topical and systemic treatments to help improve hair growth. It's important to know that due to the length of the normal hair growth cycle, it will take at least 2-4 months for any disturbance to respond to treatment. Success takes patience and perseverance.
Alopecia areata is a common form of hair loss in both children and adults. It can arise spontaneously or be triggered by stressful life events. Hair loss occurs very suddenly and can be localised with only one or just a few patches, or it can be quite widespread, sometimes even affecting body hair. The good news is that alopecia areata is not a scaring form of hair loss and in the majority of cases, the hair grows back after some time. We can't predict when this will happen, but we can certainly offer a topical and/or systemic treatment to try and kick-start the process.
Excessive facial hair
In addition to hair loss, we also see patients with excessive facial hair. Again, we might begin with a blood test to rule out any underlying hormonal problem and we can prescribe a cream containing eflornithine (Vaniqa®) to slow down facial hair growth. If professional laser hair removal is required in-clinic, we refer patients to one of our colleagues close-by.
Skin diseases on the scalp
Certain skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema or seborrhoeic dermatitis can also affect the scalp skin, causing itching, flaking or scaling, potentially with some hair loss. Scalp skin may also develop fungal infections, which can be highly contagious. Skin conditions on the scalp should always be diagnosed and treated by a Dermatologist.
Nail problems
Nail changes may be due to fungal infections (onychomycosis), skin diseases such as psoriasis or lichen planus, a deficiency in nutrients such as Zinc, or an underlying systemic illness. In clinic we might take nail scrapings for a fungal culture and/or some blood for testing when we begin treatment.
