Excerpt from Vogue
“And then there are the “hair whisperers”, for whom the term trichologist feels a little pedestrian, because the best take hair analysis to a high art. Ricardo Vila Nova is newly installed at Urban Retreat at Harrods. Armed with his microscope, winning smile and a chemistry set of swabs and potions (plus impressive so-thick-it-looks-stuck-on hair), Vila Nova gives a strikingly detailed appraisal of hair quality. He is so passionate, he can practically talk it back to good health. My own hair is brought to magnified relief on his iBook. He points to a section where the core is faded out and asks: “Between two years and 18 months ago did you undergo a severe diet? Your hair couldn’t make itself properly.” “Not a diet,” I reply (I don’t possess the willpower), “that would be pregnancy.” And on went the startlingly accurate diagnosis. Dietary advice is dispensed (extra vitamin B12, iron and a protein-rich diet is the magic combination for vibrant hair growth, while omega oils will provide the shine) and then he moves on to discuss treatments. There’s scalp mesotherapy to directly infuse your malnourished follicles with vitamins and minerals; instant hydration for a parched scalp sounds good and I immediately sign up. Laser stimulation, which kick-starts follicle growth (before you scoff, it has FDA approval with an 80 per cent success rate for hair loss regeneration), is so refreshingly simple. You sit under the lamp for 30 minutes, relax and – bang! – your follicles have just experienced the equivalent of a hit of double espresso. Depending on your need, there’s also micro- needling, which isn’t for the faint of heart, but certainly brings a much-needed rush of blood to the head (good circulation is crucial to hair growth).”