Marta is a highly qualified Prescribing Clinical Trichologist and an NHS Dermatology Specialist Nurse, dedicated to diagnosing and treating hair and scalp disorders with a scientific, evidence-based approach.
With a postgraduate course in Anaesthetics, Marta spent five years in one of the few hospitals in the UK with a Major Trauma Centre, gaining extensive expertise in high-pressure medical care.
After years of personal hair struggles, Marta trained as a Certified Clinical Trichologist, offering scientifically-backed, personalised solutions for hair loss and scalp disorders.
As one of the few UK Trichologists qualified to prescribe medication, Marta bridges the gap between trichology and dermatology, providing comprehensive, medical-grade treatments.
As a Prescribing Dermatology Nurse, Marta treats acne, psoriasis, and scalp disorders, delivering the highest standard of medical care within NHS England.
After completing her nursing degree with honours at the University of Aveiro in Portugal in 2014, Marta moved to the UK to work at the University Hospital Southampton one of the few hospitals in the UK with a Major Trauma Centre. With experience in respiratory HDU, surgical scrub nurse in neurosurgery, and then advanced training through a postgraduate Anaesthetics course at the University of Southampton, she developed exceptional expertise in patient care during surgical procedures.
Marta spent five years in anaesthetics, where her role involved managing adult and paediatric airways, ensuring patient stability during surgery, and providing airway management during trauma calls in the emergency department’s resuscitation room while holding the trauma bleep. She also addressed the anaesthetic needs of critically ill patients from both Intensive Care and the Emergency Department.
As a teenager, Marta struggled with her hair, which appeared straight but was full of frizz and volume. She couldn’t understand why it looked the way it did, and unfortunately, neither could the other kids at school. This led to years of bullying, from being called ugly to cruel comments and even classmates trying to burn her hair with a lighter.
Determined to “fix” her hair, Marta tried everything, from going platinum blonde to straightening it daily. These attempts ultimately caused severe damage, forcing her to stop touching her hair completely. Through this painful experience, she began researching hair care and discovered that her hair wasn’t “awkwardly straight” with volume, but was actually naturally wavy/curly.
After three years of working to restore her damaged hair, Marta created a Portuguese Instagram account dedicated to helping other women who felt lost with their own natural hair. This journey helped Marta build a community of 67k followers on Instagram, where she continues to educate and empower women on how to embrace and care for their natural hair.
As a qualified nurse, Marta always based her knowledge on scientific evidence, and it wasn’t long before she noticed a significant amount of misinformation online about hair care. Determined to provide accurate advice, she began researching how to improve her guidance.
This led her to discover Trichology—the specialist field focused on the diagnosis and treatment of hair and scalp conditions. Marta decided to pursue an Advanced Diploma in Trichology with the International Association of Trichologists and opened her own clinic in Southampton City Centre, Hampshire.
Marta didn’t stop there. She furthered her education with an MSc in Clinical Dermatology, completed the Fundamentals of Hair Science and Hair Claims course by TRI Princeton, and achieved her postgraduate Independent Prescribing (V300) qualification. Her commitment to ongoing learning ensures that she remains one of the leading, evidence-based trichologists in the UK.
Marta was appointed as a Hair Expert for the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) within the Department for Education in London. As a member of the Route Panel for Hair and Beauty, she provides expert recommendations on the technical and scientific content of hair education courses and standards. Marta also advises the IfATE’s Compliance Board on apprenticeship standards in hairdressing and contributes insights on the content of technical education qualifications related to hair science.
Marta also serves as a medical reviewer, specialising in hair science and trichology-related dermatology articles. She meticulously assesses and analyses scientific literature on the latest advancements in these fields.
Marta has written clinical review articles on hair science, published in reputable journals such as the Dermatology Nursing Journal, International Hair Authority and International Journal of Cosmetic Science. She is an active member of several prestigious organisations, including the European Hair Research Society, British Hair and Nail Society, British Association of Hair Restoration Surgery, and the British Dermatological Nursing Group.
Marta also works part-time as a Band 7 Prescribing Dermatology Specialist Nurse within the NHS, where she provides patient consultations to assess and diagnose various skin conditions, including Acne and Psoriasis, and prescribes treatments such as Isotretinoin and Methotrexate. Currently, she is collaborating with NHS dermatologists to help develop a pathway for hair loss consultations for both dermatology consultants and specialist nurses in the NHS.
Marta serves as the Chair and Advisor Prescribing Trichologist on the Advisory Board for the International Trichology Congress (ITC) and British Association of Hair Restoration Surgery (BAHRS) Grand Rounds. She also chairs the ITC Journal Club, where she leads discussions on hair loss treatments, diagnostic protocols, and best practices. This platform fosters collaboration among hair loss practitioners, advancing clinical standards and promoting collegiality within the field.
As a dedicated member of BAHRS, Marta holds significant leadership roles, including chairing the Misleading Marketing and Advertising Subcommittee. In this capacity, she addresses misleading marketing practices within the hair restoration and hair loss industry, particularly focusing on false claims made about cosmetic products and services.
Marta’s efforts aim to protect the public from harm caused by misleading claims and to establish protocols, and regulations that ensure adherence to industry standards across the hair restoration and trichology sector.
Since Marta possesses such unique skills and experience, she was approached by Dr. Edward Ball, one of the UK’s leading specialist hair transplant surgeons, renowned for his natural-looking results, to join The Maitland Clinic in Portsmouth. During her 1.5 years there, she honed her expertise in diagnosing and treating complex hair and scalp conditions, with a focus on assessing male patients for hair transplant suitability. Marta specialised in helping patients, particularly those under 25, who were not suitable candidates for transplants due to progressive hair loss or insufficient donor hair. She ensured their hair loss was managed, and existing hair optimised, before considering surgery, since a proper diagnosis must always be made before treatment options can be recommended.
After this enriching experience, Marta decided to focus on building her own clinic, CliniHair, where she continues offering high-quality care for both male and female hair loss patients.
As a recognised authority in trichology and dermatology, Marta has had the privilege of speaking at numerous events, including teaching hair science and trichology to pharmacy students at universities in Portugal, speaking at hair transplant conferences to hair transplant surgeons, and presenting online to hairdressing educators across the UK on hair loss conditions and trichology.
In addition to her published work, Marta’s contributions ensure the accurate dissemination of the latest research, promoting evidence-based practices in trichology and dermatology. By staying at the forefront of scientific advancements, Marta is able to provide her patients with the most up-to-date and reliable care. She is passionate about spreading knowledge and continuing to elevate the standards in the industry, especially through her clinic, CliniHair, located in Hampshire, Southampton, where she offers expert care to both male and female hair loss patients.
"Throughout my hair loss journey, Marta has been incredible. Her empathy, compassion and understanding has allowed me to be open and transparent about how I feel. Marta has vast knowledge and expertise, whilst supporting and advising in a warm and friendly way. She has changed my life and I'm incredibly thankful for all of her help and assistance these past few months." Trichology Patient, July 2024
12, Royal Mail House, Terminus Terrace SO14 3FD, Southampton, Hampshire
Contact: 07435963096
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