HOW TO MEASURE HAIR

Bernard Cohen, MD
Department of Dermatology & Cutaneous Surgery
University of Miami School of Medicine

Diplomate, American Board of Dermatology
Diplomate, American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery

HOW TO EVALUATE PATIENTS USING HAIR BUNDLE CROSS-SECTION TECHNOLOGY

This unpublished monograph (by the inventor of the Trichometer and HairCheck device) provides a concise description of hair bundle cross-section technology. It addresses the following topics: The concept of hair mass, The frustrations of hair loss management, The limitations of photography, Normal hair density and distribution, The super-hair syndrome, The patient with ultrafine hair, and The economics of hair measurement in an office setting. Four detailed clinical examples are provided:

THE CROSS SECTION TRICHOMETER: A NEW DEVICE FOR MEASURING HAIR QUANTITY, HAIR LOSS, AND HAIR GROWTH

This published article describes a mechanical method to quantify hair loss. It details the prototype device upon which the HairCheck device was based. It contains a comprehensive list of alternative hair measuring methods. It describes the multiple tests performed on the Trichometer to establish its sensitivity, precision, accuracy, ability to discriminate changes in diameter and density, and the correlation of its readings with those of the dry weight method. The intended clinical applications are discussed as well. Note: The term Trichometric Index (TI) is used in this text. This term has since been replaced by the term Hair Mass Index (HMI).

HAIR BREAKAGE: AN UNDER APPRECIATED CAUSE OF HAIR LOSS IN WOMEN

This published article describes how Trichometer technology may be used to identify and quantify hair breakage – a commonly overlooked cause of loss in longhaired women. On the basis of this article, an auto-calculating Hair Breakage Index (HBI) display was added to the HairCheck’s design.

THE COHEN CLASSIFICATION FOR HAIR LOSS

This published article describes a simple visual method to quantify hair loss. It uses no more than a pencil and printed graphic. It provides a map with 8 numbered scalp zones and generates a bar graph that defines the distribution of the loss and its severity in each zone. The system addresses the limitations of the Hamilton-Norwood classification. It clarifies the ambiguity of terms used to describe scalp topography and hair loss severity.