Handbook of hair in health and disease

Hair is a major component of the body's tissue system that contributes to the individual's make up and confers a large degree of personal identity. Apart from its visible façade, hair also has a functional role. It has an unique structure and complex molecular development. The very nature of hair makes it a suitable marker for the prognosis of disease. Hair can also be used to screen for toxins and changes in the diet. However, there are currently no suitable publications available that describe hair in a rational scientific context. This handbook provides an academic approach to hair in health and disease. Divided into five sections the Handbook of Hair in Health and Disease provides an insight into hair growth and loss, molecular and cellular biology of hair, dietary toxicity and pathological history, diseases and treatments of hair, as well as shampoos and conditioners. Unique features of each chapter in this volume include relevant and useful 'Key facts' which highlight interesting or important findings of the specific subjects and 'Summary points' that will give a clear overview of the subjects treated in each chapter. The Handbook of Hair in Health and Disease will be essential to a variety of users, such as trichologists, doctors and nurses and all those interested or working within the area of hair health. This includes nutritionists and dieticians, scientific beauticians, health workers and practitioners, college and university lecturers and undergraduate and graduate students.

Victor R. Preedy BSc, PhD, DSc, FSB, FRCPath, FRSPH is Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry, King's College London, Professor of Clinical Biochemistry, Kings College Hospital (Honorary) and Director of the Genomics Centre, King's College London. Presently he is a member of the Kings College London School of Medicine. Professor Preedy graduated in 1974 with an Honours Degree in Biology and Physiology with Pharmacology. He gained his University of London PhD in 1981 when he was based at the Hospital for Tropical Disease and The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. In 1992, he received his Membership of the Royal College of Pathologists and in 1993 he gained his second doctoral degree, i.e. DSc, for his outstanding contribution to protein metabolism in health and disease. Professor Preedy was elected as a Fellow to the Institute of Biology (FIBiol) in 1995 and to the Royal College of Pathologists in 2000. Since then he has been elected as a Fellow to the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health (FRSH; 2004) and The Royal Institute of Public Health (FRIPHH; 2004). In 2009, Professor Preedy became a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health. In his career Professor Preedy has carried out research at the National Heart Hospital (part of Imperial College London) and at the MRC Centre at Northwick Park Hospital. He has collaborated with research groups in Finland, Japan, Australia, USA and Germany. He is a leading expert on the mechanisms of disease and has lectured nationally and internationally. He has published over 570 articles, which includes over 165 peer-reviewed manuscripts based on original research, 90 reviews and over 20 books.