Telogen Effluvium as a Cause of Hair Loss
Every so often, we are graced with a movie or TV show
that presents a frustrated character that suddenly loses their hair.
Whether for comedic or horrific
effect, it can be pretty entertaining. The
reality however, is anything but. Hair
loss in its different forms is a serious problem that affects countless
adults. One particular kind is
especially upsetting due to the amount of lost hair in such a short time.
What we are talking about here is a
condition called telogen effluvium. To
better understand this problem, one must first learn about the regular
growth cycle of hair.
Hair goes through its growth phase, also known as the
anagen phase, for several years. This
anagen phase ends when the telogen or resting phase begins.
This stage in a hair’s life cycle is
much shorter, lasting only around three months.
After a strand of hair reaches its
resting point, it will soon be pushed out by a new strand.
It is in this stage that our problem
occurs, hence the name telogen effluvium. Sometimes
when a person is excessively stressed or suffers a particularly jarring
trauma, a hormonal or metabolic problem occurs, and hair is abnormally
pushed into the telogen phase. When
this occurs it becomes a matter of time until mass shedding transpires as
new anagen hairs begin to grow.
There are two common types of telogen effluvium or TE.
The first is called acute telogen
effluvium, a condition where shedding lasts a maximum of six months only.
This can be caused by intense stress
from pregnancy, an emotional event, injury, feverish illness, or even just a
change of diet. Certain diseases like
psoriasis of the scalp can also be a cause. It
is known that 20 to 40 percent of pregnant women go through acute telogen
effluvium. It is harder to pinpoint
the number of men that go through this, as many do not feel the need to go
to the doctor when hair loss occurs.
The second kind is called chronic telogen effluvium.
In this case, shedding lasts longer
than six months. It is also harder to
identify the cause. Whether it be
acute or chronic however, a simple hair pull test can determine if telogen
effluvium is the cause of hair loss. After
a gentle pull, if around 10 to 20 hairs are obtained, and 25% are found to
be in the telogen state, then TE is confirmed.
If it’s a metabolic or hormonal
problem that sets off telogen effluvium, then more tests should be performed
to correct the problem. Conditions
such as hypothryoidism and hyperthyroidism can be the cause.
Iron deficiency in post natal women
is also known to contribute to TE.
It is good to remember that a large number of people
have experienced tellogen effluvium in their lives, and that in most cases,
recovery occurs very quickly. For
chronic patients, constant reassurance is necessary from the physician, and
maybe a change of hairstyle to cover the affected areas.
Comfort is generally achieved when a
patient understands that TE does not lead to permanent or even total hair
loss.
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