Telogen Effluvium - Symptoms and Treatment

Telogen effluvium is a form of nonscarring alopecia characterized by diffuse hair shedding, often with an acute onset Telogen Effluvium occurs when sudden or severe stress causes an increase in the shedding of the hair. It is normal to lose up to about 100 hairs a day on one's comb, brush, in the sink or on the pillow. When excessive amounts of hair simultaneously switch from anagen into telogen and subsequently shed several months later, the phenomenon is referred to as a telogen effluvium. In Telogen effluvium a sudden or stressful event can cause the hair follicles to prematurely stop growing and enter into a resting phase. Rarely are more than 50% of the hairs on the head involved. Each scalp hair has a normal 'life cycle'. Most scalp hairs last about three years and grow about 1 cm a month. Telogen Effluvium is an abnormal loss of hair which is due to the alteration of the normal hair growth cycle. Different hairs are in different stages of the cycle at any one time. Hair growth occurs in a cycle which is divided into three phases : a growth phase, a regression phase and a resting phase. Telogen effluvium is a form of nonscarring alopecia characterized by diffuse hair shedding, often with an acute onset. Excessive temporary loss of telogen hair caused by trauma such as childbirth, surgery, starvation, certain drugs, and high fever. Hair growth depends on three phases which are a regression phase , a growth phase and a resting phase . Excessive shedding of normal club hairs can be brought about by a number of stresses: parturition, febrile illness, psychological stress, crash diets, drugs.

Telogen effluvium is one of the disorder realted with hair loss, it is temporary hair loss that follows some shock to the system. Hairs will grow for a few years, then rest for a few months, shed, and regrow. Telogen effluvium is the transient increased shedding of normal club hairs from resting scalp follicles secondary to accelerated shift of anagen into catagen and telogen , which results clinically in increased daily hair loss and, if severe, thinning of hair. It is unfortunate but many people are unaware of the dangers of quick weight loss and the stress that occurs to their strands. The hair loss is due to an interruption in the natural hair growth cycle. It is found most commonly in those who have recently experienced trauma and is directly related to the normal cycles of hair growth. Hairs will be in the growth phase for few years then for sometime in the regression phase for some time years and then in the resting phase for a few months, and this cycle continues. It is the result of physical illnesses, emotional disturbances, traumatic events, stressful circumstances, or other chemical or physical changes in the body.  The hair is shed easily and more hair than usual is seen on your brush, pillow, in the bath or shower, or when you run your hands through your hair. It is typical for a band like area of occipital hair follicles to enter the first telogen close to the time of birth and for these hairs to shed 2 to 3 months later. Hair grows in a repeating cycle of stages. If you're in general good health, up to 90% of your scalp hair will be in anagen at any one time. Telogen effluvium is a reactive process caused by a metabolic or hormonal stress or by medications.

Causes of Telogen Effluvium

Common Causes of Telogen Effluvium :

• High fever or severe infection
• Chronic medical illness.
• Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
• Medications.
• Major physical trauma.
• Iron deficiency.
• Acute and severe blood loss.
• Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
• Heavy metal poisoning.

Symptoms of Telogen Effluvium

Some common Symptoms of Telogen Effluvium :

• In children or young adults, sudden loss of patches of hair; known as alopecia areata.
• Falling of large numbers of hairs.
• Complete loss of all hair on the body; a rare disease called alopecia universalis.
• A lot of hair accumulating on your pillowcase, on the washbasin and in your hairbrush.
• Especially in children, patches of broken hairs and incomplete hair loss, usually on the scalp but sometimes involving the eyebrows; the child is most likely rubbing or pulling out hair, a condition trichotillomania.
• Excessive shedding of hair, but not complete baldness, associated with various illnesses and drug treatments, rapid weight loss, anemia, stress or pregnancy; a condition known as

Treatment of Telogen Effluvium

Some common Treatment of Telogen Effluvium :

• Ensure a nutritious diet, with plenty of protein, fruit and vegetables.
• Lotion such as minoxidil , Nizoral shampoo and Tricomin Therapy Spray can be used to stimulate the hair growth.
• There is no treatment for telogen effluvium. The problem will correct itself. All the lost hair will eventually be replaced.
• Any reversible cause of hair shedding, such as poor diet, iron deficiency, hypothyroidism, or medication use, should be corrected.
• Assuming there is no intervening pathological process, all of the hair will be replaced in six to twelve months and the replacement hair should be identical to the hair that was shed.
• These shed or loose hairs all have club-shaped "roots" typical of resting, telogen hairs and may be easily identified under the microscope.

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