Trichologist in Florence
Hair loss and thinning: trichology consultations in Florence, Careggi area.
The reason it is worth being seen early is that «I am losing my hair» describes pictures with nothing in common. Acute shedding after an event, slow thinning on top, a patch appearing within weeks, hair that breaks instead of falling: four different stories, four different pathways, and in one case a window of time that closes.
The visit therefore begins with the distinction, and the instrument that permits it is magnified examination of the scalp. It shows the thickness of the shafts — thick and fine hairs side by side in the same area is the sign of miniaturisation — and above all the presence or absence of follicular openings, which separates reversible forms from those in which the follicle is gone.
In Florence trichology takes place at Viale Augusto Righi 19, the same clinic where dermatological visits are held: if behind the hair loss there is a scalp condition — seborrhoeic dermatitis, folliculitis, an inflammatory picture — there is no need to travel to address it.
In Florence the trichological visit is carried out by Dr Marta Barzacchi, dermatologist, who at the same clinic also handles dermatological visits and dermatitis. This is a practical detail more than an organisational one: many cases of hair loss have a cause visible on the skin of the scalp, and whoever examines the hair examines that too.
The visit lasts half an hour and always follows the same order. First the history: since when, with what pattern, what happened in the preceding three or four months — surgery, a diet, a pregnancy, a high fever, a new medication. The cause of acute shedding almost always lies there, not in the period when the hair began to fall. Then magnified examination of the scalp, the part that tells the pictures apart. Finally, if needed, blood tests: not prescribed routinely, but when the history points to a deficiency or a thyroid worth checking.
From there the pathway is decided case by case, and does not always involve treatment: telogen effluvium resolves on its own, and the useful thing is to know it rather than chase it with products. Where treatment is needed it is started — and the result is reviewed months later, because hair grows about a centimetre a month and any assessment made sooner means nothing.
What you can book here
- Tricologia30′
List generated from the Florence booking catalogue: it includes only what is actually provided at this clinic.
Who practises in Florence
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Frequently asked questions
Is it normal to lose hair in autumn?
A seasonal increase in shedding exists and is transient: it is typically noticed in autumn and spring and resolves by itself. It becomes a reason for a visit when it lasts more than a few weeks, when it is very marked, or when alongside the shedding the remaining hairs are visibly finer than before — because that is not a seasonal phenomenon.
Is trichology available in Florence, or do I need to go to Siena?
It is available in Florence, at Viale Augusto Righi 19, and Dr Barzacchi carries it out. It is fair to know the shape of it: in Florence trichology means the consultation, with scalp examination and, if needed, blood tests. The Siena clinic has more doctors working in this area and a wider range of treatments: if after the visit the pathway calls for something not performed in Florence, you are told at that point, not later.
How soon can I tell whether it is working?
Not before three or four months, and not by looking in the mirror. Hair grows about a centimetre a month, so any assessment made sooner measures noise: a bad day, different light, wet hair. The comparison is made on photographs, taken at the same spot and in the same light — which is why it is worth taking one at the first visit.
What can I bring to shorten the visit?
A photograph from a few years ago, taken in similar light. Thinning is measured by comparison, and memory is a poor yardstick: two photographs far apart in time say in thirty seconds what words take half an hour to convey. If you have had recent blood tests, bring those too.
When is hair loss urgent?
When the loss involves a circumscribed area and the skin there is red, painful or burning. That combination can indicate a scarring form, in which the follicle is permanently damaged and what is lost does not regrow: it is the only trichological scenario in which waiting costs something unrecoverable.