The International Association of Trichologists (IAT)
is a non-profit corporation founded in California in
1974 to promote the study, research and legitimate
practice in all aspects of the treatment and care of
the human hair and scalp in health and disease.

The trichology course was developed at the
University of Southern California during 1974-75
under the guidance of trichologist David Salinger.
The course was designed as a home-study
(correspondence) course and, additionally, one
hundred hours of clinical training must be under-
taken under the supervision of an IAT-approved
trichologist. Students can presently undertake
clinical training in Sydney (Australia), , India, Sao Paulo (Brazil), the U.S.A., Manchester (U.K.) and Riga (Latvia). Online lectures are also included.

Medical doctors can undertake a shorter version
of the trichology course.

Initially the course was taught throughout North America
but, in 1979, Government colleges in Australia and
New Zealand contacted the IAT about introducing the trichology course. Teachers were trained and colleges in these countries began teaching the course in 1981. Since that time, IAT has trained students in several other countries including India, Singapore, China, South Africa,South Korea, U.K., Malaysia, Vietnam, Latvia, Nigeria, Kenya, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Mauritius, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan,Japan, Israel,
   Argentina, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Mexico
                   and the West Indies.