What is Telogen Effluvium?
Telogen effluvium is a hair loss condition that presents itself as thinning hair on the scalp or excessive hair shedding.
It affects women more and is triggered when the normal hair cycle is disturbed. These interruptions can be traced to physical or psychological events that cause you to be overly stressed.
When this happens, your scalp follicles force your hair to move straight from the Anagen [growth] phase into the Telogen [rest] phase. Then hair loss follows, about 3-4 months later.
What Are the Causes of Telogen Effluvium
Many stressful events disturb your hair cycle and trigger this hair condition. They include;
- Childbirth
- Fevers
- Severe infections
- Acute surgery or illnesses
- Medications
- Hormones
- Chemotherapy
- Protein or iron deficiency in your diet
- Excess intake of supplements, like Vitamin A
- Extreme weight loss
- Critical mental stress or physical trauma
- Pregnancy
This hair condition is temporary but could take up to 8 months for hair loss to reduce. And since it takes approximately a month for hair to grow up to ½ inch, restoring your scalp to look normal might take longer.
If you're affected, you're most likely to notice much hair loss while shampooing. But that doesn't mean shampoos worsen the condition.
In severe cases of Telogen Effluvium [chronic telogen effluvium], it’s easy to confuse it with female pattern hair loss. So, you'll need an accurate diagnosis by a specialist.
The telogen effluvium condition can make you lose up to 300 hairs within 24 hours. So, you need to pay attention to the amount of hair you shed while styling or brushing your hair. You should also check the shower drain for any excess hair build-up.
How You Can Treat Telogen Effluvium
Treatments for telogen effluvium will depend on its triggers. Once the trigger is identified and dealt with, your hair cycle will return to normal and your hair grows back.
Treatment options include:
- Correcting nutritional deficiencies in your diet
- A hormone replacement therapy
- Counseling support to help you manage stress or anxiety.
Here at Nina Ross, we're after the health of your scalp and hair. Need to pinpoint what's messing with your hair growth? We’re just a consultation away!
