Recently, our Research Manager Niels attended a symposium titled: ‘Hair, Skin & Psyche: advancing inclusive dermatology’. During the day, passionate doctors explained the challenges people with skin of colour face and gave tips to other doctors in attendance on how best to care for them.

Throughout the day, the speakers shared that many skin conditions, including some forms of alopecia, are more common in people with skin of colour. But people with skin of colour face additional challenges in accessing healthcare, are less likely to seek and receive mental health support, and have worse health outcomes overall. There were tips on how to be sensitive of various cultural norms and beliefs and how to talk to patients to understand what is important to them.

The second half of the day focused on hair loss, which can look different in diverse skin types and is misdiagnosed more often. It is also more common for people to have more than one type of hair loss. The cultural significance of hair also means that there can be a lot of stigma around hair loss, making it hard for people to speak about with their friends and family.

It is important for people affected by hair loss to know they are not alone. At Alopecia UK, we are working on better understanding the diverse needs of people from various cultural backgrounds, so that we can improve our support for all people affected by alopecia.

Read more on what Niels learned at the Hair, Skin & Psyche event here.