Hair Disorders: Current Concepts in Pathophysiology, DIagnosis, and Management
P re f a c e
Jerry Shapiro, MD
Guest Editor
Over the past 25 years, I have remarked that the
field of hair has continued to gain sizeably more
interest now that we have an increasing number
of options and accepted approaches to various
hair diseases. Twenty-five years ago, there were
very few effective treatments to offer patients
except the surgical option for pattern hair loss.
Patients, knowing there are now more options,
are going to dermatologists for treatments. The
Internet has made the patient more inquisitive
and patients are seeking treatments aggressively.
As a result, the dermatologist is now paying far
more attention to hair issues than ever before.
There are now symposia at international meet-
ings totally devoted to hair science and disorders.
There are also entire international meetings
devoted to trichology. The World Congress of
Hair Research Societies takes place yearly with
an increasing record-breaking attendance of der-
matologists and basic science hair researchers
convening and sharing their knowledge.
There are now meetings devoted to just specific
hair disorders such as alopecia areata and cicatri-
cial alopecia. This was unheard of 25 years ago. At
the Society for Investigational Dermatology, the
hair presentations have exponentially increased
over the past 15 years. With the advancing tech-
nology in molecular biology and genetics, the
Dermatol Clin 31 (2013) xiii
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mechanics of the hair follicle are slowly being
unravelled.
This issue of Dermatologic Clinics includes a
“bench-to-bedside” spectrum of hair-related topics:
basic science, pathology, pathophysiology, diag-
nosis, nutrition, endocrine issues, medical treat-
ments, lasers, hair transplantation, and cosmetic
camouflage. We hope it will help the dermatologist
understand, diagnose, and treat specific hair dis-
orders more effectively.
I am grateful to all the authors for their countless
hours in putting together this edition on hair. I also
want to thank Bruce Theirs for the opportunity to
guest edit this issue as well as Stephanie Donley
for her professional editorial assistance.
Jerry Shapiro, MD
Hair and Scalp Disorders
University of British Columbia
Department of Dermatology and Skin Science
Vancouver, Canada
New York University Langone Medical Center
Department of Dermatology
New York City, NY, USA
E-mail address:
jerry.shapiro@vch.ca
derm.theclinics.com