Telogen effluvium: Symptoms, treatment, and recovery

Telogen effluvium is a form of temporary hair loss that usually happens after stress, a shock, or a traumatic event. It usually occurs on the top of the scalp. Chronic telogen effluvium refers to frequent periods of hair shedding over a number of months.

Telogen effluvium is different from the hair loss disorder called alopecia areata. Large amounts of a person’s hair might fall out, but it is often temporary, and the hair usually grows back.

In this article, we look at the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of telogen effluvium, including dietary changes that may help.

Share on PinterestIncreased shedding or thinning of a person’s hair is characteristic of telogen effluvium.

A person is described as having chronic telogen effluvium if they frequently experience periods of hair shedding for more than 6 months. Telogen effluvium is generally reversible.

A person with this condition does not lose all their hair, although it may become noticeably thin.

Telogen effluvium is a form of hair loss characterized by hair thinning or an increase in hair shedding. It occurs more often in women and is usually triggered by a disturbance to the hair cycle.

The hair cycle typically has three phases:

1. Anagen or growth phase.
2. Catagen or transitional phase.
3. Telogen or resting phase.

Telogen effluvium is associated with the telogen phase. Normally, 5 to 10 percent of a person’s hair is in the telogen phase at any one time.

With telogen effluvium, the anagen phase slows down, meaning that fewer hairs enter the next two stages. With this condition, around 30 percent of hair follicles move into the telogen phase, which means that hair shedding occurs.

The main symptom of telogen effluvium is an increase in the amount of hair a person sheds.

Someone may notice that more hair than usual is falling out when they wash or brush their hair. They may also find more hair in the drain or on their pillow.

Share on PinterestSevere stress may cause telogen effluvium.

Disturbances to the hair cycle can be caused by a number of triggers, including:

• Severe stress. Prolonged periods of stress can result in telogen effluvium. Hair loss typically occurs about 3 months after the stressful event.
• Poor diet. Hair requires key nutrients including protein, iron, B-vitamins, and zinc to grow. A shortage of these nutrients may affect the quality and quantity of a person’s hair.
• Sudden weight loss. Weight loss or chronic calorie restriction, such as in anorexia nervosa, can cause the hair to shed.
• Pregnancy and childbirth. During pregnancy, more hair is in the growth phase for longer. Hormonal changes that occur 3 to 6 months after birth can cause hair to shed. This is called post-partum telogen effluvium.
• Menopause. Hormonal changes that occur during the menopause may also cause telogen effluvium.
• Certain drugs. Certain medications and recreational drugs can cause hair loss.
• Underlying health conditions. These can include autoimmune disease, conditions that affect the thyroid gland, and alopecia areata.
• Surgery. Depending on the type of procedure, length of stay in hospital, medications, and overall nutritional status.
• Metal toxicity. Contact with toxic chemicals in metal can lead to hair loss.

Treatment for telogen effluvium depends on what is triggering the hair loss. Once the trigger has been established and addressed, the hair cycle should normalize and hair will begin to grow back.

Treatment options include:

• addressing nutritional deficiencies through diet
• non-surgical hair replacement
• hormone replacement therapy for people experiencing menopause
• counseling support to manage stress or anxiety

A person should try to avoid chemical or heat treatments that could damage the hair. They should also avoid heat styling and heat treatment, such as curling or perming the hair.

Dietary considerations include the following:

• Protein provides the building blocks for hair to grow. Make sure the diet includes plenty of protein-rich foods such as meat, eggs, fish, beans, grains, and nuts. The amino acid lysine may be particularly important for hair growth.
• Iron deficiency may be linked to telogen effluvium. Making changes to the diet to include iron-rich foods may help with hair loss. These include red meat, liver, dark green leafy vegetables, beans, and lentils.
• Supplementation can be considered for a short time while nutritional status is improved.

For professional advice, a person can contact a dermatologist or trichologist.

With telogen effluvium, it is common for hair to grow back within 3 to 6 months after the cause has been dealt with. Sometimes, the rate of shedding slows down but does not stop entirely. In most cases, no more than 50 percent of the hair is lost.

Share on PinterestA doctor will examine the hair and scalp to diagnose telogen effluvium.

When diagnosing telogen effluvium, a doctor will examine the hairs that have fallen out.

Several tests can be performed to diagnose telogen effluvium:

• The diameter and length of the lost hairs can signal this condition, and may help a doctor to differentiate between this and alopecia.
• A hair pull test may be carried out to see how much hair is being shed.
• A wash test can be performed whereby the number of hairs lost during washing is counted.
• A blood test may be useful to work out the cause of hair loss. These tests can help diagnose iron deficiency or thyroid insufficiency.

A dermatologist might be able to diagnose telogen effluvium and offer advice. They will look at other indicators of hair health, such as the appearance of the scalp, any patches of baldness, or more generalized hair thinning.

Telogen effluvium is a common cause of temporary hair loss. It is characterized by an abrupt onset of hair shedding usually seen several months after a triggering event.

It usually lasts for around 6 months, except for cases of chronic telogen effluvium, which last longer. No specific treatment exists, but lifestyle and dietary changes can be effective in beginning hair regrowth.

Telogen effluvium: Symptoms, treatment, and recovery

Telogen effluvium is a form of temporary hair loss that usually happens after stress, a shock, or a traumatic event. It usually occurs on the top of the scalp. Chronic telogen effluvium refers to frequent periods of hair shedding over a number of months.

Telogen effluvium is different from the hair loss disorder called alopecia areata. Large amounts of a person’s hair might fall out, but it is often temporary, and the hair usually grows back.

In this article, we look at the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of telogen effluvium, including dietary changes that may help.

Share on PinterestIncreased shedding or thinning of a person’s hair is characteristic of telogen effluvium.

A person is described as having chronic telogen effluvium if they frequently experience periods of hair shedding for more than 6 months. Telogen effluvium is generally reversible.

A person with this condition does not lose all their hair, although it may become noticeably thin.

Telogen effluvium is a form of hair loss characterized by hair thinning or an increase in hair shedding. It occurs more often in women and is usually triggered by a disturbance to the hair cycle.

The hair cycle typically has three phases:

1. Anagen or growth phase.
2. Catagen or transitional phase.
3. Telogen or resting phase.

Telogen effluvium is associated with the telogen phase. Normally, 5 to 10 percent of a person’s hair is in the telogen phase at any one time.

With telogen effluvium, the anagen phase slows down, meaning that fewer hairs enter the next two stages. With this condition, around 30 percent of hair follicles move into the telogen phase, which means that hair shedding occurs.

The main symptom of telogen effluvium is an increase in the amount of hair a person sheds.

Someone may notice that more hair than usual is falling out when they wash or brush their hair. They may also find more hair in the drain or on their pillow.

Share on PinterestSevere stress may cause telogen effluvium.

Disturbances to the hair cycle can be caused by a number of triggers, including:

• Severe stress. Prolonged periods of stress can result in telogen effluvium. Hair loss typically occurs about 3 months after the stressful event.
• Poor diet. Hair requires key nutrients including protein, iron, B-vitamins, and zinc to grow. A shortage of these nutrients may affect the quality and quantity of a person’s hair.
• Sudden weight loss. Weight loss or chronic calorie restriction, such as in anorexia nervosa, can cause the hair to shed.
• Pregnancy and childbirth. During pregnancy, more hair is in the growth phase for longer. Hormonal changes that occur 3 to 6 months after birth can cause hair to shed. This is called post-partum telogen effluvium.
• Menopause. Hormonal changes that occur during the menopause may also cause telogen effluvium.
• Certain drugs. Certain medications and recreational drugs can cause hair loss.
• Underlying health conditions. These can include autoimmune disease, conditions that affect the thyroid gland, and alopecia areata.
• Surgery. Depending on the type of procedure, length of stay in hospital, medications, and overall nutritional status.
• Metal toxicity. Contact with toxic chemicals in metal can lead to hair loss.

Treatment for telogen effluvium depends on what is triggering the hair loss. Once the trigger has been established and addressed, the hair cycle should normalize and hair will begin to grow back.

Treatment options include:

• addressing nutritional deficiencies through diet
• non-surgical hair replacement
• hormone replacement therapy for people experiencing menopause
• counseling support to manage stress or anxiety

A person should try to avoid chemical or heat treatments that could damage the hair. They should also avoid heat styling and heat treatment, such as curling or perming the hair.

Dietary considerations include the following:

• Protein provides the building blocks for hair to grow. Make sure the diet includes plenty of protein-rich foods such as meat, eggs, fish, beans, grains, and nuts. The amino acid lysine may be particularly important for hair growth.
• Iron deficiency may be linked to telogen effluvium. Making changes to the diet to include iron-rich foods may help with hair loss. These include red meat, liver, dark green leafy vegetables, beans, and lentils.
• Supplementation can be considered for a short time while nutritional status is improved.

For professional advice, a person can contact a dermatologist or trichologist.

With telogen effluvium, it is common for hair to grow back within 3 to 6 months after the cause has been dealt with. Sometimes, the rate of shedding slows down but does not stop entirely. In most cases, no more than 50 percent of the hair is lost.

Share on PinterestA doctor will examine the hair and scalp to diagnose telogen effluvium.

When diagnosing telogen effluvium, a doctor will examine the hairs that have fallen out.

Several tests can be performed to diagnose telogen effluvium:

• The diameter and length of the lost hairs can signal this condition, and may help a doctor to differentiate between this and alopecia.
• A hair pull test may be carried out to see how much hair is being shed.
• A wash test can be performed whereby the number of hairs lost during washing is counted.
• A blood test may be useful to work out the cause of hair loss. These tests can help diagnose iron deficiency or thyroid insufficiency.

A dermatologist might be able to diagnose telogen effluvium and offer advice. They will look at other indicators of hair health, such as the appearance of the scalp, any patches of baldness, or more generalized hair thinning.

Telogen effluvium is a common cause of temporary hair loss. It is characterized by an abrupt onset of hair shedding usually seen several months after a triggering event.

It usually lasts for around 6 months, except for cases of chronic telogen effluvium, which last longer. No specific treatment exists, but lifestyle and dietary changes can be effective in beginning hair regrowth.

issues of diagnostics and treatment in your city

Diffuse alopecia is a serious cosmetic defect that leads to psycho-emotional discomfort that reduces the patient’s self-esteem and quality of life.

The most common form of diffuse hair thinning is the so-called telogen shedding, in which hair follicles prematurely transition from the growth phase to the shedding phase.

Telogen baldness (Telogen effluvium) can occur in both acute and chronic forms. Acute telogen effluvium lasts less than 6 months and then resolves spontaneously or with therapy; chronic lasts more than 6 months, sometimes for several years. Patients with chronic telogen alopecia note persistent and severe hair loss with an undulating process. According to most trichologists, telogen hair loss cannot be considered an independent diagnosis, it only indicates the presence of pathology in the body.

There are several etiological factors that lead to disruption of the growth process in the hair follicle:

• infections (fever, influenza, infectious mononucleosis, pneumonia, brucellosis, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, syphilis, with HIV infection).
• the use of drugs (retinoids, antiparkinsonian drugs, β-blockers, anticoagulants, anticonvulsants, H2 receptor blockers, cytostatics).
• deficiency conditions (deficiency of iron, zinc, chromium, selenium, protein nutrition and vitamin B12 deficiency, protein-calorie deficiency).
• chronic diseases (endocrine disorders, in particular hyper- and hypofunction of the thyroid gland, erythroderma, psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus, etc.).
• postpartum period, surgery, blood loss, stress, etc.

The diagnosis is based on the history data and the results of the examination of the patient, laboratory diagnostics (KLA, OAM, serum ferritin level, determination of the concentration of zinc, copper in the blood, according to indications – the study of hormonal levels), examination by narrow specialists.

At present, it is difficult to call a quality work of a practitioner in the field of diagnosis and treatment of hair diseases without the use of a dermatoscope (trichoscope). The modern method is computer diagnostics, which is carried out using a microvideo camera and a special computer program. It is trichoscopic techniques, as well as the phototrichogram method, that currently allow you to carefully assess the state of the hair structure, the mouths of the hair follicles, the activity of the sebaceous glands, the condition of the skin of the scalp, and also evaluate the most important morphometric parameters of hair – density in different parts of the scalp, hair diameter in the same areas, percentage of vellus hair, anisotrichosis (dispersion of hair diameters).

Do not forget that the effectiveness of the treatment of telogen diffuse alopecia and the further prognosis of treatment directly depend on the identification and elimination of the etiological factor. For treatment, medical and physiotherapeutic methods are used. Often, treatment begins with external therapy, which consists in applying lotions, balms, masks, gels to the scalp, preparations containing alcohols, red pepper tinctures, ether, and electrophoresis of biologically active substances is prescribed. For oral administration, vitamins C, PP, A are recommended, in the form of injections – vitamins B6, B1, B12, long-term zinc intake.

Good results can be achieved with the help of mesotherapy – intradermal administration of drugs, which is based not only on the direct pharmacological action of the drug, but also on stimulation of nerve endings (including vascular receptors).

The prognosis for telogen hair loss depends on how quickly you can find and eliminate the cause that caused hair loss. Given that diffuse alopecia is a serious cosmetic defect, the doctor needs to quickly and timely establish the correct diagnosis and provide assistance to the patient.

reasons and ways to restore hair growth.

Effluvium in trichology means severe hair loss. However, there are different types of effluvium, and each may have its own causes. This article explains the most effective means and actions to promote the re-growth of hair that has gone during the effluvium period.

In this article we will talk about the following topics:

• Effluvium: the nature of the phenomenon and types.
• Teligen Effluvium and its characteristics.
• Seasonal hair loss: duration and causes.
• Anagen hair loss; the most common reasons.
• Re-growth of lost hair: how to stimulate growth and restore hair, density and density.

Do you know how much hair is lost per day on average? Is it normal for more hair to fall out during the off-season than usual? What are the main causes of hair loss? Does hair grow back?

All these questions are answered by the effluvium phenomenon. This term, translated from Greek, means evaporation or outflow . Here we immediately note that in Russian there are several ways to write this word, namely: effluvium, effluvium, effluvium. It’s all the same! In this article, we will start from the Latin form of writing the word – effluvium, , especially since the spelling form “effluvium” has already been recorded on the Internet on some trichological sites.

So, the word effluvium is used in trichology to refer to abnormal hair loss . And there are at least two forms of this phenomenon: during the telogen period and during the anagen period (telogen and angagen are the stages of the hair life cycle).

Teligen Effluvium and its characteristics.

So, telogen effluvium (Teligen Effluvium). By this expression, we mean profuse hair loss in the telogen phase, i.e. in the same phase when the hair is at the end of its growth phase. As a rule, this phenomenon is temporary, it does not last long, until the follicles begin to produce new hair. Let’s look at the possible reasons for this phenomenon.

Telogen Effluvium is an acute phenomenon that follows an emotionally important event, an episode in a person’s life. Up to 80% of hair can fall out and this process can take 12-15 weeks! Later this nightmare stops spontaneously and the hair starts to grow again.

Therefore, one of the main causes of telogen effluvium is severe stress and / or emotional distress, even if it is of short duration. This is due to cortisol, a substance that our body produces during periods of excessive stress and weakens the immune system. As a result, even hair follicles become weaker and enter the telogen stage prematurely. However, the hair that was lost due to stress grows back when the level of tension and anxiety begins to decrease.

Stress is not the only cause of telogen effluvium . Below is a complete list of possible causes that can lead to hair loss in the telogen phase:

• Medications and antibiotics (read detailed article on itshair).
• Chemical factors and metals.
• Surgical operation.
• Hormonal factors (hypothyroidism, Hypopituitarism).
• Unbalanced diet and/or deficiency of vitamins and minerals.
• Pregnancy and, more often, the postpartum period and breastfeeding.
• Aggressive beauty treatments.

But how long can telogen effluvium manifest itself? It depends on the reason. Chronic effluvium is a more moderate but persistent hair loss over a long period of life. And the acute effluvium that occurs due to stress may not last long, end suddenly and not be repeated.

Chronic telogen effluvium is an ailment that most often occurs in women. Only a very thorough analysis carried out by specialists, such as trichologists, can establish some of the causes of hair thinning and hair loss, as well as a doctor can prescribe a treatment that promotes hair regrowth.

Seasonal hair loss: duration and causes.

Another type of effluvium is seasonal hair loss. We wrote about this in the previous article “Autumn hair loss or telogen effluvium ”.

All of a sudden you start noticing too much hair on the combs! You see hair loss in the shower, you see your hair on your pillow after sleeping, it gets tangled between your fingers after touching your hair… Before you panic, take a look at the calendar!

If it is spring or autumn, then it is likely that this is a seasonal physiological hair loss, also called seasonal effluvium.

Seasonal hair loss is a special form of telogen, when hundreds and thousands of “obsolete” hair fall out very quickly at a certain time: in autumn or spring. That’s how nature intended it!

How long is the seasonal hair fall, you ask? As a rule, this is a physiological and reversible phenomenon, which disappears within a few weeks, and young hair enters the active growth phase.

Among the causes of seasonal effluvium may be the following:

• Ancestral heritage (hair shedding), a typical phenomenon in mammals.
• Hormonal fluctuations caused by the change of light and dark cycle.
• The influence of climate and sunlight on the hair follicle.

Therefore, a good habit to prevent seasonal elimination (premature hair loss in this case) is to protect yourself from the sun in summer. In winter, you should protect your hair from frost.

Sometimes a stressful event is so intense that it prevents the hair from moving on to the next stage.

In this case, the hair falls out during the anagen phase, i.e. when it is in the middle of its active life cycle. This is the loss of many hundreds or even thousands of hairs per day that occurs almost at the same time as the event that caused it. Alopecia areata is the most common clinical manifestation of Anagen Effluvium.

Anagen hair loss; the most common reasons.

In addition to severe stress, other causes of hair loss in the anagen phase can be:

• Hereditary genetic predisposition.
• Hormonal problems.
• Shortage of certain foodstuffs.
• Radiation (X-rays and gamma rays).
• Poisonous and toxic substances.

It is better if you contact a trichologist for advice on this issue, because even a whole book cannot describe a complete list of possible options. The problem of hair loss (baldness) can be individual.

Re-growth of lost hair: how to stimulate growth and restore hair, thickness and density.

How to restore hair growth, thickness and density? The first piece of advice is to take care of your body, which means that you should keep your diet and avoid stressful situations. Secondly, even if the hair that fell out due to stress grows back, the use of certain products is essential to regulate the normal hair growth cycle. In order to grow new hair, copper peptides provide valuable assistance in this process, which promote the formation of new capillaries around the follicle and repair damage to the scalp.