Telogen Effluvium

Telogen Effluvium

By far the most common type of excess hair shedding in women is acute telogen effluvium (ATE) but when prolonged it is termed chronic telogen effluvium (CTE).

Acute telogen effluvium presents a sudden excess shedding of hair in a diffuse distribution throughout the scalp. A large amount of hairs will be seen in the brush and comb, particularly so when the hair has been shampooed and conditioned. On examination of the scalp many hairs will come away on minor traction. There will also be many short re-growing tapered hairs of a similar length through the scalp; the length of the hairs depends on the duration of the condition.

When excess hair shedding lasts longer than nine months it is termed Chronic. Chronic telogen effluvium often starts with a sudden shedding caused by trauma, but sometimes there is a gradual onset and seemingly an unspecific cause. Hair sheds relentlessly, sometimes fluctuating in the amount of loss. There is loss of hair density, particularly to the longer lengths, and there is also a diffuse thinning to partings. Hair does not reach the length it used to and there are many re-growing tapered hairs of differing lengths throughout the head.

With chronic telogen hair loss the re-growth is still present, but at differing lengths. Mostly longer hairs will fall, but shorter ones are also noticed. Because the growing length is shortened the hair will not seem to grow.

Physical or Physiological stress can cause hair to enter into a state of Telogen Effluvium – a condition that occurs when the normal hair growth cycle is interrupted and the follicles enter into a resting stage, resulting in an abrupt and diffuse hair loss.