American Academy of Hair & Scalp Diseases™
Established 2018
These policies exist to protect the integrity of Functional Trichology™, preserve the standards of the Academy, and ensure that every student receives the level of education, rigor, and structure required to practice this discipline with accuracy and excellence.
Enrollment in any AAHSD program constitutes full agreement with all policies outlined below.
I. THE FIVE PILLARS OF AAHSD
The cultural foundation of the Academy. These pillars define who we are, how we think, and how we serve.
1. Awareness
We remain alert to what the scalp and body reveal.
We recognize imbalance early and honor the body’s signals.
2. Accountability
We take responsibility for our education, our influence, and our outcomes.
Excellence begins with self-awareness and ends in service.
3. Advocacy
We use our voice and knowledge to protect, educate, and empower clients.
We create safety for clients to seek truth without fear.
4. Integrity
We practice honesty, discretion, and ethical reasoning in every interaction.
We honor truth over trend and uphold the standards of the discipline.
5. Impact
We measure success by transformation — not transactions.
We strive to deliver meaningful change to every client we serve.
The Five Pillars guide the behavior, decision-making, and conduct expected of every student and graduate of AAHSD.
II. AAHSD CODE OF ETHICS
The professional conduct required of all students and graduates. AAHSD maintains a strict Code of Ethics to uphold the standard of the discipline.
All AAHSD students and practitioners agree to:
1. Serve with Accuracy, Not Assumption
Interpret patterns through physiology, systemic understanding, and clinical reasoning.
2. Honor the Limits of Scope
We do not diagnose, treat, or cure medical conditions.
3. Communicate Professionally & Transparently
Offer clear, ethical, honest education to clients and colleagues.
4. Uphold Confidentiality
Protect all client information and sensitive data.
5. Maintain Professional Conduct
Demonstrate maturity, respect, integrity, and alignment in all academic and client interactions.
6. Practice Evidence-Informed Reasoning
Follow the standards of Functional Trichology™ and avoid misinformation.
7. Protect the Discipline & Institution
Represent the Academy with excellence and uphold its intellectual property and methodologies.
8. Commit to Continuous Mastery
Remain a student of physiology, body systems, and whole-body interpretation.
Ethical breaches may result in removal from the program without refund.
III. SCOPE OF PRACTICE (FUNCTIONAL TRICHOLOGIST™)
Clear boundaries for professional practice.
A Functional Trichologist™ trained through AAHSD operates within a non-medical, educational, and physiological scope.
A Functional Trichologist™ CAN:
- interpret scalp patterns as reflections of internal burden
- correlate visible changes to systemic imbalance
- identify which body systems may be under strain
- build structured, non-medical recovery strategies
- analyze lifestyle, stress, environmental, and nutritional contributors
- use the Triangle to Recovery™ (what, why, how)
- recommend non-medical holistic support options
- educate clients on whole-body hair health
- collaborate with medical providers when necessary
- support clients in restoring internal balance for improved hair outcomes
A Functional Trichologist™ CANNOT:
- diagnose medical conditions
- prescribe medication or supplements
- treat disease
- alter medical treatment plans
- perform regulated medical procedures
- claim to cure any disorder
- replace medical or dermatological care
We interpret — we do not diagnose.
We educate — we do not treat.
We restore conditions — we do not practice medicine.
IV. WHAT FUNCTIONAL TRICHOLOGY™ IS NOT
Functional Trichology™ is not:
- traditional trichology
- symptom-based or topical-based care
- diagnosing or treating disease
- a medical discipline
- a cosmetic-only approach
- protocol memorization
- an extension of cosmetology school
- a reliance on dermatology for answers
- guessing without physiological understanding
Functional Trichology™ is the structured academic discipline that studies the hair through the body.
V. LEGAL DISCLAIMER
The American Academy of Hair & Scalp Diseases™ provides professional education only.
We do not teach, require, or permit:
- diagnosing
- prescribing
- treating
- curing disease
- medical practice of any kind
All information provided in AAHSD programs is for educational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice or evaluation by a licensed physician.
Students must comply with their state, province, territory, or country’s legal regulations regarding practice.
VI. REFUND POLICY (NO-REFUND POLICY)
All payments, tuition, enrollment fees, and program fees are 100% non-refundable.
There are:
- no refunds
- no exceptions
- no cancellations
- no cooling-off periods
- no partial refunds
- no credits toward future courses
Once payment is made, it is final.
VII. WITHDRAWAL POLICY
Students may withdraw at any time; however:
- no refunds will be issued
- no tuition credit will be provided
- a new enrollment fee is required for any re-entry
- re-enrollment is not guaranteed
VIII. FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AFTER WITHDRAWAL
Withdrawing from the program does NOT remove the student’s financial obligation.
All students who withdraw—at any point, for any reason—remain responsible for paying the full tuition balance under their payment agreement. Payment plans continue after withdrawal and must be completed in full.
IX. NO TRANSFER POLICY
AAHSD does not allow transfers of:
- enrollment
- tuition
- fees
- credits
- seats
- cohort placement
- program year placement
- admission status
Students cannot transfer their enrollment to another cohort, another program, or another individual.
X. PROGRAM PACE & ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS
AAHSD programs are not self-paced.
18-Month Functional Trichology™ Certification
This program requires:
- live virtual lecture attendance
- structured module progression
- required clinical training
- completion of assignments by deadlines
Students must keep pace with the cohort.
90-Day Fast Track
An accelerated training requiring:
- weekly progression
- live virtual sessions
- mandatory in-person clinical training
- strict deadlines
Self-paced learning is not permitted in any AAHSD program.
XI. TECHNOLOGY & PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS
All students must have:
- a reliable laptop or desktop computer
- stable high-speed internet
- access to required software or LMS
- ability to attend live virtual sessions
- capacity to travel to Houston for clinical training
Technical issues do not exempt students from attendance or grading.
XII. PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT & COMMUNICATION POLICY
AAHSD expects professionalism and respect at all times, including:
- timely communication
- respectful dialogue
- professional appearance during virtual sessions
- appropriate engagement in all learning environments
Harassment, aggression, or misconduct may result in removal without refund.
XIII. LICENSURE & ELIGIBILITY DISCLAIMER
AAHSD does not determine legal scope in your state or country. Students are responsible for:
- holding the proper cosmetology, barbering, or hair professional license in their region
- complying with local laws governing hair services
- ensuring their scope of practice aligns with Functional Trichology™
Trichology is not a government-regulated profession; therefore, certification may be used internationally.
XIV. AGREEMENT TO POLICIES
By enrolling in any AAHSD program, the student acknowledges and agrees to:
- all policies on this page
- the enrollment agreement
- the academic requirements
- the Code of Ethics
- the scope limitations
These policies apply to all programs and cannot be waived.