Phototrichogram using videomicroscopy: a useful technique in the evaluation of scalp hair

The purpose of our work is to contribute to the definitive standardization of the phototrichogram in view of the new possibilities offered by information technology. We placed under investigation a 1 cm2 scalp area on the vertex of 28 healthy volunteers (20 women and 8 men) between the ages of 18 and 30 (average age was 23.32 +/- 3.48 years). We performed the examination using a computerised videomicroscope equipped with lenses x 20 and x 50. The results obtained can be summarized as follows: total hair density was 260 +/- 30/cm2 in men and 300 +/- 20/cm2 in women; telogen percentage was higher in men (16.5 +/- 1.5% vs 11 +/- 1% of women); thin hairs (< 0.040 mm) were 9.4 +/- 1.8% in men and 9 +/- 2% in women; growth rate was 0.35 +/- 0.03 mm/day in men and 0.38 +/- 0.03mm/day in women. Thanks to its integration with digital imaging, the phototrichogram has undoubtedly become an examination of primary importance in trichology because of its simplicity and sensitivity even if it cannot yet be considered the ideal technique to replace all the others.