Have you ever had a high fever and seen chunks of hair falling down in your hands? If yes, it’s because of telogen effluvium. Telogen effluvium is not like the usual hair fall that you experience all around the year. It is rather characterised by the response of your body when it is under some kind of stress. This stress may be any infection or psychological stress.
This blog will discuss Telogen Effluvium in detail, along with some treatment options you can go for.
What is Telogen Effluvium and what causes it?
Telogen effluvium is a non-scarring form of hair loss characterised by a sudden increase in shedding. Telogen effluvium makes the hair switch to the resting stage prematurely. It is different from usual hair loss as you could lose up to 300 hair strands per day, as against 100 strands in a normal hair fall cycle.
But this is not to say that your hair enters the resting stage once in a blue moon. Your hair is in the resting stage at any given time, but just 10%. But in cases of TE, a bigger percentage of the hair is pushed into the resting stage, leading to excessive hair shedding.
The condition may affect the hair all over your scalp, but it is most apparent on the top of your head instead of the back or sides of your head. If it’s any relief, TE doesn’t usually cause total baldness or a receding hairline. In severe cases, however, your body hair, such as eyebrows, may also be affected.
Telogen effluvium isn’t harmful to your physical health, but it can affect you emotionally and psychologically. You may experience emotional stress, anxiety, and depression.
Causes of Telogen Effluvium
TE can be triggered by various stressors that disrupt the natural hair growth cycle. Here are some common causes:
Physiological Stress:
Significant life events like childbirth, major surgery, illness (particularly high fevers), loss or sudden weight loss can trigger TE.
Dietary Deficiencies:
Deficiencies in iron, vitamin D, or other essential nutrients can disrupt hair growth and lead to shedding.
Hormonal Changes:
Hormonal fluctuations associated with childbirth, menopause, thyroid issues, or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can contribute to TE.
Certain medications:
Some medications, such as chemotherapy drugs, blood thinners, and antidepressants, can cause TE as a side effect.
Chronic medical conditions:
Chronic illnesses like diabetes, lupus, or autoimmune diseases can sometimes lead to TE.
COVID and other infections:
COVID and other infections place stress on the body, ultimately forcing your hair to shift to the resting stage. This happens because the body prioritises fighting infections and recovery, more than maintaining hair health.
High fever:
The physical stress experienced by the body during a fever can lead to telogen effluvium.
How do you know you have Telogen Effluvium?
If your body or mind has encountered a traumatising event recently and you are experiencing excessive hair shedding after it, chances are high it is TE. You should consider reaching out to a dermatologist to diagnose the condition and control the hair shedding.
Diagnosing TE usually involves a physical examination of the scalp and a discussion of your medical history and recent stressors. In some cases, a pull test (gentle tugging on hair strands) or a scalp biopsy might be performed to rule out other causes of hair loss.
Is it treatable?
The good news is that TE is usually temporary. Once the underlying cause is addressed and your body has processed the stressor, hair growth typically resumes within 3-6 months. However, some treatment options can help promote regrowth and manage shedding.
Closing thoughts
While hair loss can be emotionally distressing, you need to remember that TE is usually temporary. Talking to a therapist or counselor can help manage stress and anxiety related to hair loss. Do not panic, it won’t make anything better. Instead, it will make your hair fall worse.
