Male hair loss: how to talk to clients with thinning hair

HJ Men chatted to a panel of experts on all things related to male hair loss and will be sharing the findings in a series of online articles. For the first installment, meet the panel and find out how they broach the subject of thinning or loss of hair with their clients. Would you bring it up first or wait for the client to say something? This is what the experts think... Wil Fleeson, owner of Rainbow Room International’s Stirling and Buchanan Street salons and Trichology Scotland’s director "The biggest fear for people is not just the loss, but whether it will return and go back to how it was before. Empathy and understanding is crucial when dealing with anyone who has or feels they have hair loss or thinning hair. Reassurance that there are people out there specifically trained to assist is key. As the sooner the topic is 'open' the quicker you can help them.

Empathy and understanding is crucial when dealing with anyone who has or feels they have hair loss or thinning hair.

Ask them how they feel about their hair density, if they've noticed something change and whether they know when the onset might have been. Then ask if they’ve been stressed or changed their diet. Hair loss can be natural reactions to biological changes and can be rectified relativity quickly once the cause is determined." Bobbie Mills, Organic Colour Systems UK salon mentor and qualified trichologist "Personally I would always wait for a client to bring the subject up as it may not be something that is of concern to them. It can be a very personal subject and you wouldn’t want to make them feel uncomfortable or embarrassed – especially if they are a long-standing client." Eva Proudman, associate member of the Institute of Trichology (AIT) "Don’t be afraid to talk to your client about both their hair and scalp. If they raise something, (which they are often desperate to do), listen and be honest with your advice. If it is something that you are not familiar with then refer to a consultant trichologist. You can find a list on the Institute of Trichologists website – trichologists.org.uk." This article first appeared in the Autumn 2018 issue of HJ Men.