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Trichoscopy · London

HAIRMETRX scalp and strand analysis, AI-powered trichoscopy for personalised hair-loss diagnosis and treatment.

HAIRMETRX combines high-resolution scalp trichoscopy with AI-powered strand analysis to characterise the pattern, cause and stage of hair loss. Guides personalised treatment for androgenetic alopecia, telogen effluvium, alopecia areata and scarring alopecias.

A trichologist performing HAIRMETRX AI trichoscopy in a private London clinic

Key facts

HAIRMETRX in six lines.

What the test is, what it measures, and what it changes about the plan.

  • Definition

    AI-powered trichoscopy combined with strand analysis for hair-loss diagnosis.

  • Modality

    High-resolution digital dermoscopy of the scalp.

  • What it measures

    Quantifies hair density, shaft diameter and cycle stage.

  • What it distinguishes

    Androgenetic, telogen effluvium, alopecia areata and scarring alopecias.

  • What it guides

    A personalised medical or surgical hair-restoration plan.

  • Serial use

    Repeat monitoring quantifies response to therapy over time.

The problem

A hair-loss plan is only as good as the diagnosis behind it.

Androgenetic, telogen effluvium, alopecia areata and scarring alopecia look similar in the mirror - and demand completely different treatments. HAIRMETRX gets the diagnosis right first.

  • Thinning at the crown or temples?

    Trichoscopy quantifies miniaturisation - the trichoscopic hallmark of androgenetic alopecia.

  • Sudden diffuse shedding?

    Telogen effluvium can be ruled in or out, with screening for iron, thyroid and vitamin D drivers.

  • Patchy or scarred loss?

    Alopecia areata or scarring alopecia can be flagged and the right specialist pathway fast-tracked.

What it shows

What HAIRMETRX actually measures.

Trichoscopy answers specific questions - density, diameter, pattern, activity - and separates the four main causes of hair loss from each other.

  • Density per cm²

    Objective follicle count across each scalp zone - the baseline number every plan rests on.

  • Follicular unit distribution

    Single, double and triple follicular units mapped across the scalp.

  • Miniaturisation patterns (androgenetic)

    Shaft-diameter variability that signals androgenetic alopecia - early and quantifiable.

  • Yellow and black dots (alopecia areata)

    Trichoscopic hallmarks of active alopecia areata - exclamation hairs, dots, tapering.

  • Scarring alopecia signs

    Loss of follicular openings, perifollicular erythema and scale - a different pathway entirely.

  • Baseline for serial monitoring

    A quantified starting point so response to treatment can be measured, not guessed.

  • Response to therapy

    Serial scans show whether minoxidil, finasteride, PRP or JAK inhibitors are working.

  • Red flag: scarring alopecia - urgent dermatology / biopsy pathway

    Scarring alopecia is time-critical. It needs fast-tracked dermatology review and biopsy.

Treatment options

What the plan can include.

From topical minoxidil to JAK inhibitors - the diagnosis decides which of these is right for you.

  • Topical minoxidil

    First-line medical therapy for androgenetic alopecia - 2% or 5% foam or solution.

  • Oral finasteride or dutasteride

    5-alpha reductase inhibition for androgenetic alopecia in men, and selected women off-label.

  • Oral minoxidil (low dose)

    Low-dose oral minoxidil - a growing evidence base for both male and female pattern loss.

  • PRP scalp injections

    Autologous platelet-rich plasma injected into the scalp as an adjunct to medical therapy.

  • Low-level laser therapy

    Home or in-clinic LLLT devices, alone or alongside medical therapy.

  • Hair transplant referral

    FUE or FUT referral to a surgeon when medical therapy has plateaued.

  • Immunosuppression for alopecia areata

    Topical, intralesional or systemic immunosuppression for active alopecia areata.

  • JAK inhibitors for severe alopecia areata

    Biological therapy with JAK inhibitors for severe or refractory alopecia areata.

Red flags

When hair loss needs an urgent specialist.

Some presentations are time-critical - scarring alopecia, rapidly progressive alopecia areata and systemic red flags need dermatology now, not later.

  • Scarring alopecia

    Loss of follicular openings, scarring bands or perifollicular scale - urgent dermatology and biopsy.

  • Rapidly progressive alopecia areata

    Extensive, fast-spreading patchy loss - early systemic treatment matters.

  • Alopecia totalis or universalis

    Complete scalp or body hair loss - specialist immunology and biological therapy pathway.

  • Frontal fibrosing alopecia

    Progressive frontal hairline recession with scarring - a distinct, treatable dermatology diagnosis.

  • Anagen effluvium (chemotherapy)

    Diffuse hair loss during or after chemotherapy - supportive, not primarily trichoscopic.

  • Alopecia with systemic symptoms

    Hair loss with rashes, joint pain or fatigue - screen for lupus, thyroid and other systemic disease.

  • Severe iron deficiency

    Very low ferritin is a common, correctable driver of telogen effluvium.

  • Thyroid dysfunction

    Under- or over-active thyroid can precipitate diffuse shedding - treat the thyroid, treat the hair.

  • Suspected trichotillomania

    Broken hairs of varying lengths, irregular patches - a mental-health and dermatology pathway.

Reading your report

A HAIRMETRX report can look intimidating. It isn’t.

Whatever the finding, the report keeps to the same four parts.

A consultant dermatologist reviewing HAIRMETRX trichoscopy images on a clinical workstation at a UK private clinic

A quiet reminder

The report is written for your doctor, not for you - and that’s normal.

Ask your clinician to talk you through it at your follow-up.

  1. 01 Header

    Indication and history

    Your details, presenting pattern, duration, family history and prior treatments.

  2. 02 Technique

    HAIRMETRX zones and imaging protocol

    Which scalp zones were imaged, at what magnification, and the AI analysis method.

  3. 03 Findings

    Density, diameter and pattern classification

    Zone-by-zone density, shaft diameter distribution, miniaturisation and trichoscopic signs.

  4. 04 Impression

    The diagnosis and the plan - read this first

    Pattern diagnosis, staging and the concrete next step - medical, procedural or surgical.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Frequently asked

Common questions about HAIRMETRX.

Quick answers on what it is, how to prepare, and how it changes the plan.

  • What is HAIRMETRX?

    HAIRMETRX is an AI-powered trichoscopy platform that combines high-resolution digital dermoscopy of the scalp with strand-level analysis to characterise the pattern, cause and stage of hair loss, and guide treatment.

  • What conditions can HAIRMETRX diagnose?

    It helps distinguish androgenetic alopecia, telogen effluvium, alopecia areata and scarring alopecias - the four broad categories that guide entirely different treatment plans.

  • Do I need to prepare for the scan?

    Attend with clean, dry hair and no products on the day - no oils, sprays, minoxidil, dry shampoo or styling product. Everything else stays normal.

  • Is HAIRMETRX painful?

    No. It is a non-invasive imaging test - a handheld dermoscopy probe on the scalp. A gentle pull or pluck test may be added, which is uncomfortable but brief.

  • Can HAIRMETRX be used to monitor treatment response?

    Yes - that is one of its strongest uses. Serial scans quantify density and diameter changes, so response to minoxidil, finasteride, PRP or JAK inhibitors is measured rather than guessed.

  • What happens if scarring alopecia is suspected?

    Scarring alopecia is time-critical because damaged follicles cannot regenerate. A consultant dermatology review and scalp biopsy should be fast-tracked, ideally the same week.

Sources

Last reviewed 2026-07-30 · Next review 2027-07-30 · 6 min read

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In practice, in London

What hairmetrx scalp and strand analysis looks like on the ground in London

With hairmetrx scalp and strand analysis, the London question is usually about report turnaround and the radiologist reading it - not whether the scan is available. On the NHS, hairmetrx scalp and strand analysis typically sits behind a triage step and a wait that can stretch from a few weeks into months. In London’s private sector, the same appointment often lands within days. That speed matters when symptoms are disrupting work, sleep, or a plan you’d already committed to - and it’s one of the most common reasons people choose to go private.

A typical private booking for hairmetrx scalp and strand analysis in London starts with a consultant conversation - sometimes in person on Harley Street or Marylebone, sometimes on video if that suits better. Any imaging or diagnostics happen at a nearby CQC-registered facility, and reports usually land within 24 to 72 hours. The whole loop, from first call to written report, is often done inside a fortnight. For hairmetrx scalp and strand analysis specifically, the difference between a routine report and a sub-speciality read is where private care earns its keep.

There are a lot of consultants in London who can technically handle hairmetrx scalp and strand analysis. Fewer who do it week in, week out for the exact question you’re bringing. Working out which is which matters, as does being straight when a different test or a different specialist would serve you better. Registered UK providers work to CQC, GMC and Royal College standards; the choice is about fit, not floor.