What Causes Telogen Effluvium?

Did you know that telogen effluvium in men and telogen effluvium in women are two of the main conditions behind hair loss, causing hair shedding to go into overdrive? So, if you’ve woken up with hair on your pillow or noticed strands clogging up the shower drain, you’re likely struggling with the condition.  

What Is Telogen Effluvium? 

During the hair’s natural growth cycle, old strands are shed to allow new ones to grow. It’s normal to lose anywhere between 50 and 100 hairs every day. Telogen effluvium, however, interrupts this cycle, causing as many as 300 hairs to be shed a day.  

What Causes Telogen Effluvium?

Telogen effluvium affects both women and men. It occurs when the anagen (growth) phase of the hair’s growth cycle is interrupted (usually due to a disturbance in the body) and causes hair to prematurely move into its telogen (shedding) phase.      

Some of the common triggers for telogen effluvium include (but aren’t limited to): 

• Stress 
• Medications  
• Iron deficiencies  
• Shock or trauma  
• Thyroid conditions 
• Serious illness 
• Diet  
• Extreme weight loss  

Following a trigger, it typically takes 6 to 12 weeks for hair loss to occur (although sudden hair loss can result from illness or shock). To discover the root cause of your telogen effluvium symptoms, look back over events from the previous 3 months to help find a trigger. 

How Long Does Telogen Effluvium Last? 

Telogen effluvium symptoms can last anywhere between 3 and 6 months. This is the normal duration of the telogen phase, after which hair naturally starts to grow again.  

Acute Telogen Effluvium vs Chronic Telogen Effluvium

If hair recovers after 6 months, this is referred to as acute telogen effluvium. If recovery takes longer, it’s known as chronic telogen effluvium.  

Whether the condition is acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term or recurring) depends largely on the cause of the condition and the severity of the disturbance to the growth cycle. If the trigger (stress, illness, medication, etc) isn’t removed, there’s a chance that the condition will develop into chronic, long-term telogen effluvium. 

Watermans Tip: Rest assured, though, that although recovery may take longer, a telogen effluvium chronic condition is still reversible and there’s a good chance that hair will grow back as normal. 

Telogen Effluvium Treatment Options and Telogen Effluvium Regrowth 

Unfortunately, there’s no quick fix treatment for telogen effluvium. It’s just a waiting game. You need to wait for your hair growth cycle to normalise, which may take several months, particularly if you have long hair. 

However, chronic telogen effluvium will likely require additional intervention. Try introducing growth-stimulating products into your regular haircare routine and eat a healthy telogen effluvium diet full of essential nutrients to encourage healthy growth and strengthen hair. 

Reference:  https://www.bad.org.uk/patient-information-leaflets/telogen-effluvium/