Core curriculum for hair restoration surgery, recommended by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS).
BACKGROUND: Because hair restoration surgery (HRS) has changed so significantly, the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) presents the recently developed Core Curriculum for Hair Restoration Surgery (CCHRS). Physician competence in HRS demands a sound understanding of all of the alternate pathologic causes of hair loss, as well as their risks and treatments. OBJECTIVE: The CCHRS defines the knowledge, didactic information, medical insights, and surgical techniques that are essential to physician competence in the correct diagnoses and treatment of hair loss problems, in a manner consistent with patient safety and sound esthetic results. The ISHRS hopes that all existing surgical and dermatology training programs that teach HRS procedures will find the CCHRS useful in developing their curriculum relative to HRS and that this will facilitate the development of a new standard of training within the profession. METHODS: Developed and reviewed by a committee of experienced hair restoration surgeons. RESULTS: The CCHRS clearly defines the diagnosis and treatment of hair loss as a multidimensional specialty requiring knowledge of several medical disciplines, including genetics, endocrinology, dermatology, and surgery. CONCLUSION: The ISHRS believes that the CCHRS is an important contribution to physician education in HRS and that a clearly defined core curriculum will facilitate achieving contemporary results and higher patient satisfaction.