Magdalena Koc55min

Trichology Fundamentals

A lecture on trichology fundamentals: hair and scalp structure, distinguishing telogen effluvium from androgenetic alopecia, the hair growth cycle, and trichoscopy camera imagery.

Result and process

About the course

Trichology Fundamentals is a lecture by Magdalena Koc on what happens in the scalp and hair follicle before a hairdresser even picks up the scissors. The course organizes hair structure, scalp structure, types of hair loss, and the hair growth cycle - the knowledge that underpins every trichology-related decision behind the chair.

The starting point is dividing the hair into a living part and a dead part. From there, the course moves through the arrector pili muscle, sebaceous glands, the hair matrix and papilla, the five layers of the epidermis, and the network of blood vessels you stimulate with every massage at the basin. The second part is about recognition: telogen effluvium and androgenetic alopecia, how to tell them apart during a consultation, alopecia areata, anagen effluvium and trichotillomania, plus scarring alopecia, after which hair no longer grows back.

In this course, you'll see

How hair is structured from the matrix and papilla to the cuticle scales, and why hair is the last part of the body to receive nutrients
Where scalp pain after a full day in a tightly pulled hairstyle comes from, and the role the arrector pili muscle plays in it
Why minoxidil lotion only works while you're using it, and what happens once you stop
How to distinguish telogen effluvium from androgenetic alopecia in a consultation, based on a single question about the amount of hair shedding
What hair follicle miniaturization and shaft heterogeneity are - why a client feels a thinner ponytail even with the same number of hairs
Which types of hair loss leave a scar, and why new hair won't grow back there
What black, yellow, and white dots at follicle openings mean, plus flame hairs, exclamation-mark hairs, and pigtail hairs
How the hair growth cycle works and what actually extends the anagen phase

This course gives hairdressers the language and the criteria they need. By the end, you'll be able to tell when a scalp condition is physiological, when it calls for trichological stimulation, and when a client needs to be referred to a doctor. Together with Trichology Consultation and Trichology in Practice, it forms a complete set: theory, the consultation process, and salon habits.

What you will learn

01How to distinguish telogen effluvium from androgenetic alopecia right from the client consultation.
02How hair is structured, and why nutrients reach it last.
03What hair follicle miniaturization is and how to spot it.
04Which types of hair loss leave a scar, and when to refer a client to a doctor.
05What black, yellow, and white dots at follicle openings mean.
06How the hair growth cycle works and what actually extends the anagen phase.

What's inside

Full access with the course

1:50
01Hair splits into a living and a dead part
Everything that happens above the skin's surface is the shaft - and that's the dead part of the hair.
3:09
02Where scalp pain comes from
Very often that arrector pili muscle gets pulled in a completely different direction, and at that point it's simply strained.
5:55
03Hair is nourished last
Hair is treated as a vestigial organ, so if it's going to get anything, it's only at the very end.
8:27
04What happens after you stop using minoxidil
Unfortunately, a large portion of the hair that managed to grow starts falling out.
11:16
05You only see one of the five layers
The stratum corneum is just one of the five layers of the epidermis.
16:09
06How deep a massage really reaches
Your stimulation reaches all the way down to the muscle.
18:05
07One question that separates two types of hair loss
When a client tells you they're pulling out huge amounts of hair, that's telogen effluvium.
19:23
08Hair follicle miniaturization
What happens is a phenomenon called hair follicle miniaturization.
28:31
09A scar means the end of the follicle
Wherever a scar forms, there's absolutely no way for a follicle to miraculously regenerate there.
31:48
10What you must never promise with psoriasis
Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition, so we absolutely never promise anyone a cure for it.
38:18
11Flame hair and trichotillomania
Because the camera doesn't lie.
39:20
12How many hairs a blonde has versus a redhead
People with light hair - blondes - have the most hair, around 120,000 strands.
43:21
13What trichological work actually involves
All of this contributes to extending the anagen phase.
45:16
14Trichosiderin is not a melanin
If anyone tells you there's such a thing as trichosiderin, that is absolutely not a natural hair melanin.

FAQ

Is this course suitable for hairdressers with no trichology background?

Yes. This is an introductory course that organizes hair and scalp structure along with the basic types of hair loss. The educator moves from anatomy to recognition, so no prior background is needed.

How does this course differ from Magdalena Koc's other two courses?

This course is theory: structure, types of hair loss, and the hair growth cycle. Trichology Consultation walks through an entire client visit, while Trichology in Practice covers 25 points to apply in day-to-day salon work. The three courses complement each other and can be watched in any order.

Do you need a trichoscopy camera to take this course?

No. The camera comes up when discussing scalp images, but distinguishing telogen effluvium from androgenetic alopecia relies mainly on consultation and observation.

Does the course teach how to interpret blood tests and choose supplements?

Not to that extent. The educator explains why deficiencies show up in the hair, using low ferritin as an example, but analyzing blood tests and treatment protocols is covered in in-person courses.

Can a hairdresser work with scarring alopecia?

No. The course draws a clear line here: where a scar has formed, the follicle will never produce hair again, and diagnosis and treatment are a doctor's job. A hairdresser's role is to spot the problem and refer the client onward.

How long is the course?

The course runs 55 minutes and is divided into chapters, so you can revisit a specific topic - such as types of hair loss or the hair growth cycle - without watching the whole thing again.

Details

Duration: 55min

Educator

More courses

Magdalena Koc

Educator · 3 courses

Magdalena Koc is a hairdresser, trichologist, dietitian, and lead educator at the Hair Spa Edu Training Academy. In her work, she brings these specialties together, showing how a client's everyday habits and lifestyle affect the condition of their hair and scalp. She teaches how to accurately diagnose the root causes of problems-rather than just treating their symptoms-through careful observation and conversation in the salon. Her methods are built on understanding the client's complete health picture.

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