Skinmed Clinic medical staff, under the coordination of the specialist doctor, takes the specific photographic and dermatoscopic images according to the technical recommendations, respecting the anatomical areas and indications. Each patient has a personal account in the Skinmed Clinic database. The images are uploaded and sent for second opinion and detailed quantitative analysis to the Fotofinder Laboratory in Germany where they are analysed and a final Diagnostic Report is issued, which will be interpreted by the specialist dermatologist in the clinical context of the patient. The doctor will integrate the scalp analysis with the patient's history, clinical examination and medical/biological context for an accurate diagnosis and personalised treatment.

This investigation does not require special preparation of the patient beforehand. It is advisable that the patient is freshly washed and has not applied styling products to the hair (to avoid residue from them), so as to allow the scalp and hairs to be viewed as accurately as possible.

The trichoscopic examination is carried out at the patient's first presentation to the clinic, before specific treatment is initiated. Later, at the end of treatment, or even during treatment, follow-up trichoscopies can be performed to quantify the patient's progress under treatment.

Any patient experiencing hair loss problems or scalp disorders should be investigated trichoscopically.

Trichoscopy is an extensive analysis that quantifies several parameters: the number of hairs in the growth stage, the number of hairs in the terminal stage, the average thickness of the hairs, the ratio between hairs in the anagen stage and those in the telogen stage. We can also quantify changes in scalp blood vessels, scalp pigmentation patterns and interfollicular skin, and the presence of scales. It is an extremely valuable diagnostic tool for alopecia (hair loss) and scalp disorders.

The initial trichoscopic examination will be repeated at the end of the treatment protocol to quantitatively quantify the response rate and determine the subsequent course of action.

Trichoscopic/Tricholab examination is indicated for patients who experience marked hair loss, whether or not associated with thinning, or even disappearance of hairs from a specific region of the scalp, for the diagnosis of scarring or non- scarring alopecia (androgenetic alopecia, alopecia lutea, telogen effluvium, tinea capitis, lichen planus pilaris, tricholitomania, etc.). Also if you are experiencing a scalp problem dermatoscopic/trichoscopic examination is an extremely important diagnostic tool.

The scalp should be examined dermatoscopically when it shows damage/injury for a safe diagnosis and any hair loss should be studied in the Tricholab laboratory for quantitative analysis. Thus, three macro images will be taken visualizing the anterior (frontal) region of the scalp, the lateral (temporal) region of the scalp and the occipital (posterior) region of the scalp. Subsequently, a path will be taken for each region and an initial picture will be taken at lower magnification (X20) at mid-path and then four pictures will be taken at higher magnification (X70) for further analysis. The images will undergo detailed analysis with the release of the Quantitative Extended Report and diagnosis.

The Tricholab report is mainly quantitative with numerical assessment of the parameters analysed such as number of hairs in the growing stage, number of hairs in the terminal stage, average hair thickness, ratio between hairs in the anagen stage and those in the telogen stage. At the end, a diagnostic suggestion is made, which the dermatologist then corroborates with the medical history, biological and dermoscopic investigations for a safe diagnosis and targeted treatment.

The initial trichoscopic examination will be repeated at the end of the treatment protocol to quantitatively quantify the response rate and determine the subsequent course of action.