Examination of scalp hair
Scalp hair, especially women’s hair, has always been considered a measure of beauty and is an important part of a person’s appearance. Many cultures today still consider hair styles and hair fashion to be more than just an expression of personal likes or dislikes and follow specific rules concerning hair.
The primary role of hair as a beauty symbol remains valid even today and gives rise to numerous variations and changes: Dying, extensions, curling or straightening, and so much more.
Hair loss and baldness, however, can be due to aging or the effect of hormones and thus may differ with each person. These types of problems typically affect men more than women. Hair transplants can alleviate the problem to a certain extent.
Scalp hair can be examined with VivaScope devices and then depicted in individual structures – the different hair colours, hair fullness and thickness, as well as hair loss can be assessed. Hair fibres which are not attached to the skin can also be imaged repeatedly over time to evaluate outcomes of different cosmetic products and ingredients. The effectiveness of anti-dandruff shampoo, in terms of where the active ingredients are deposited on the skin and how long they remain for, can also be evaluated with the confocal image.
[1] Rudnicka, et. al., “In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy: usefulness for diagnosing hair diseases.” J Dermatol Case Rep 2008.
[2] Fox CA, Koon DC, Eastman JM: “Confocal Imaging of Human Hair for Cosmetic Application.” Poster Presentation. TRI Princeton Hair Research Conference. 2004.
[3] Hadjur C, Daty G, Madry G, Corcuff P: CCosmetic Assessment of the Human Hair by Confocal Microscopy Scanning.” 2002; 24(2): 59.