Hair Restoration Technician’s Diploma

Are you a Hair Transplant Surgeon seeking trained technicians to assist with certain hair restoration procedures and other routine duties.

Are you a practicing or prospective technician (in the hair-transplanting field) seeking to acquire a qualification which will assist in validating your academic and technical ability.

Whereas current practicing surgical technicians seeking this Diploma will (subject to evidence of ability) be exempt from the practical clinical training, they will be required to undergo the academic part of the course and the associated viva examination.

The Trichological Society stands alone for academic excellence in its discipline,  its philosophy dictates that any person performing services within a medical or para-medical discipline should be qualified to high academic and practical standards.  In the current era any over-qualification is to be welcomed, never criticised.

This unique diploma course offers dedicated, tenacious students the opportunity of gaining such a diploma in this unique discipline. It must be stated that gaining this unique Diploma will require determination and tenacity.

Each student will be assigned a College appointed Mentor to whom any difficulties may be addressed. Students will be required to attend occasional assessment visits with their academic Mentor and dependant upon aptitude a number of tutorials and practical observation sessions culminating in the performance of mock clinical procedures with their Clinical Mentor.

This Open University style course is therefore both academic (conducted from your home computer) and extensively practical  (conducted within an orthodox surgical environment).

The course provides the vehicle to qualification within the parameters of The Trichological Society. Graduands will be  entitled to use the post-nominal designatory letters TTS Dip.HRT.  Graduates pay reasonable annual subscriptions to TTS (a not-for-profit professional association) and receive a listing on its celebrated Portal www.hairscientists.org, and an ongoing advice service.

The  Course Has Three Sections

Section 1 – Anatomy & Physiology

The Topics

The Skeletal system – an overview of the skeletal structure with a detailed description of the bones of the face and cranium. Mention the numerous fontanelle and their origins.

The Muscular system – a description of muscle types with detailed description of the muscles of the face and head.

The Endocrine system. This will be an extensive work detailing the numerous hormones their function and effect. Mention any known affect on hair.

The Skin. This work will include a detailed explanation of its structure and function but will exclude any detailed description of the pilo-sebaceous follicle, nails and hair/skin diseases/deformities, which will each be the focus of future individual assignments (this major essay will be equivalent to 3 others. Time allowed one month

The Hair. This extensive work will include a detailed morphology from conception, in-depth accounts of hair type (Afroid, Caucasoid Mongoloid) physical/ chemical structure, development, growth cycles (anagen, catagen, telogen and exogen) and follicular re-genesis, post puberty development, pigmentation, genetic factors, natural curl, density and other specific characteristics but exclude diseases which will each be the focus of future individual assignments  (this major essay will be equivalent to 3 others. Time allowed one month).

Section 2 

Hair and Scalp Conditions

The purpose of this part of the course is to familiarize the student with the visual symptoms of conditions which could potentially present at any time.

Some topics in this section will constitute major essays, which will take time to research effectively to satisfy TTS academic standards. Each of the following conditions/diseases must be researched appropriately, written up in the students’s own words (including bibliography) and submitted to his/her assigned Mentor for marking and return (usually within 10 days). Plagiarism is forbidden.

As many of the conditions listed within the syllabus are rare, it is unlikely that students will see live examples of them during any practical sessions. The recommendation is therefore that the student researches and collects an extensive personal photographic library from which to become acquainted with the visual symptoms of all conditions/diseases. Dermatology textbooks which include clear photographs of hair / scalp disease are highly beneficial.

Topics suffixed with a star (*) indicate that short explanations are expected – two or three such topics may be submitted as one of the required two essays in any month.

The Topics
Those suffixed thus* are usually short therefore can be submitted in groups of two or three.

• Acne Necrotica Miliaris* & Varioliformis*

• Acquired progressive kinking.

• Alopecia areata, totalis and universalis.

• Androgenetic alopecia in males –include details and discussion regarding modern drug therapies, surgical hair replacement techniques, and non-surgical hair replacement.

• Androgenic alopecia in females – include details and opinion on currently used drug therapies and suitability to surgical hair replacement. Discuss non-surgical replacement methods.

• Canities* Leucotrichia* Poliosis*

• Eczema’s – with special reference to scalp and effect on hair.

• Effluvium’s (anagen, telogen, loose anagen syndrome).

• Folliculitis Decalvans.

• Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia.

• Hair Pigmentation Chemistry – Mention the chemistry, function and source of melanin, its distribution and the consequences of its absence.

• Hair fall associated with fever.

• Hair fall associated with eating disorders (bulimia, anorexia nervosa).

• Herpes (Shingles) of the scalp.

• Idiopathic Trichoclasia*

• Lichen Planus (Planopilaris)

• Lupus Erythematosus (discoid and systemic)

• Malignant Melanomas – with special reference to scalp

• Non-Melanoma skin cancers – with special reference to scalp.

• Monilethrix*

• Neurodermatitis.

• Nutrition and hair health.

• Pediculus capitis – mention the body and pubic louse and discuss the treatments available.

• Pemphigus – with special reference to scalp.

• Pityriasis (‘Seborrhoeic dermatitis’) with special reference to scalp and effect on hair. (Include graphic descriptions of each – include photos where possible.

• Post-natal alopecia.

• Pseudo-pelade (Brocq).

• Psoriasis of the scalp.

• Dermatophytosis Capitis (Ringworm) with special reference to scalp and effect on hair. Include details of anthropophilic and zoophilic fungi, microspora, trichophyta, epidermophyta.

• Serum Ferritin, Serum Iron, Vitamin B12 and hair status.

• Thyroid functions and hair status – mention hair loss and changes in characteristics.

• Traction Alopecia.

• Trichokinesis*

• Trichotillomania*

• Vitiligo with special reference to scalp and hair.

• Woolly Hair Syndrome.