Hair Loss and Telogen Effluvium (TE)
There are many different causes of hair loss and conditions that result in hair loss. The team here at Chicago Hair Institute are able to help patients who suffer from various kinds of balding and hair thinning. By identifying the cause of the hair loss, we can determine the best treatment option for you.
Telogen effulvium (TE) is a type of hair loss that is often misunderstood. Let's consider what it is and how it can be addressed.
About Telogen Effluvium (TE)
Telogen effluvium is a kind of disorder of the scalp that causes a person to lose hair, shed hair, or experience hair thinning. It is brought about by the premature entry of a person's hair into the telogen phase, a resting phase of the hair follicle's growth cycle that results in hair loss. Up to 70 percent of a person's hair may be lost as a result of telogen effluvium.
Causes of Telogen Effluvium (TE)
There are numerous potential causes for telogen effluvium, and it is often experienced when the following occurs:
- Childbirth (postpartum alopecia)
- Severe fever or illness
- Major surgical procedures
- Nutritional deficiencies (e.g., anemia)
- Eating disorders
- Crash diets
- Emotional stress
In all of the above cases, a person has experienced a significant physical or psychological stress that has caused the telogen effluvium to occur.
Rates of Hair Loss in Telogen Effluvium
In many cases, a patient will experience a rapid shedding of the hair in response to a shock to their system that lasts fewer than six months.
In other cases, it is possible for patients to gradually shed hair over time, with more and more follicles remaining in the telogen phase without cycling back to grow new hair. These kinds of hair loss are common for persistent issues with physical or psychological stress.
Another form of telogen effluvium hair loss involves shortened growth follicle growth cycles with persistent loss of thinner hair fibers.
Signs and Symptoms of Telogen Effluvium (TE)
When suffering from telogen effluvium, you will notice more hair shedding in the shower, while combing and styling, or on your pillow case and linens. While the appearance of thinning is more pronounced in some people with telogen effluvium, it may be more subtle in others.
Diagnosis of Telogen Effluvium
In most cases, the diagnosis of telogen effluvium will involve a review of your medical history and discussion of any other major stress/illness you have experienced in the last year or so. Bloodwork may be done to check for any health conditions that trigger telogen effluvium. In rare cases, a patient may have a biopsy of a small scalp tissue sample performed.
Treatments for Telogen Effluvium (TE)
In a number of cases of telogen effluvium, the hair loss and regrowth will take care of itself. So long as the shock to the patient's system is not persistent, patients may experience hair regrowth within a year of the initial shedding or thinning.
Addressing the primary cause of the telogen effluvium is typically ideal, which means proper medical treatment as well as diet and lifestyle modifications.
When the cause of telogen effluvium cannot be identified, the use of non-surgical hair restoration methods (e.g., Rogaine, Propecia) may be most ideal.
Contact Chicago Hair Institute for More Information
For more information about hair loss related to telogen effluvium and your various options for hair restoration and treatment, be sure to contact our hair restoration and transplant surgery center today. The entire team here at Chicago Hair Institute looks forward to meeting you in person and helping you have a full and beautiful head of hair.