If you have been experiencing a major hair fall all over your scalp, then it could be Telogen Effluvium. It is one of the most frequent causes of temporary hair loss. All of a sudden, your hair switches from a growing phase to a resting phase, and the rate of shedding increases.
It is often precipitated by stress, illness, diet, or hormonal changes. The good news is, most of the time, it’s reversible. But all of that is contingent on how soon you act. That’s where we come in. At Dr. A’s Clinic, we do not treat your symptoms; we help you identify the cause with treatments that work for a lifetime.
What Happens to Your Hair During Telogen Effluvium?
There are many things that you need to know regarding the time when your hair enters the Telogen Effluvium stage.
The Normal Hair Growth Cycle
To understand telogen effluvium, it is important to know how your hair grows. The main phases of the hair cycle are as follows:
- Anagen (growth phase): 2-7 years of active hair growth.
- Catagen (regression phase): 2-3 weeks long, during which the hair growth stops.
- Telogen (resting phase): Approximately 3 months, in which hair falls out and new hair starts to grow.
- Exogen (shedding phase): 2-5 months, where old hair sheds off and is replaced by new hair.
However, you should also know that approximately 85–90% of hairs are in the anagen stage at any given time in a healthy scalp.
What Goes Wrong in Telogen Effluvium?
Telogen effluvium takes place when too many hairs enter the telogen (resting) phase and fall out prematurely. The result is excessive hair loss, which usually appears 2-3 months after the inciting cause. In this condition, 30%–50% of your hair may go into telogen versus the normal 10%–15%.
A form of alopecia, telogen effluvium is typically diffuse but nonscarring and non-cicatricial (affecting the entire hair-bearing scalp rather than localized areas). Unlike scarring alopecias or male-pattern baldness, there’s no inflammation or permanent destruction of the follicles in this condition.
Common Triggers Behind the Onset of Telogen Effluvium
Some of the most frequent causes include:
- Physical stress (surgery, high fever, childbirth)
- Emotional stress (bereavement, anxiety disorders)
- Nutritional deficiencies (iron, protein, vitamin D)
- Hormonal imbalances (thyroid issues, birth control changes)
- Rapid weight loss or crash dieting
- Medications (antidepressants, blood pressure drugs)
Duration and Progression
Acute telogen effluvium most often resolves within 6 months once the cause is treated. Chronic TE (lasting more than 6 months) may require more intensive medical evaluation to analyze underlying causes or concurrent conditions such as androgenetic alopecia.
Can Telogen Effluvium Be Reversed 100%?
The question lingering in the minds of most people who experience sudden hair loss is this: “Will all my hair grow back.” Well, it depends on the degree of impact telogen effluvium has, how quickly you address it, and its cause.
Why Most Telogen Effluvium Cases Are Fully Reversible?
You could very likely experience temporary acute telogen effluvium. In such cases, the hair follicles are not destroyed; they’re dormant. After the triggering event (illness, childbirth, stress, etc.) goes away, the follicles slowly return to the anagen or growth phase.
So, yes, over 90% of telogen effluvium cases, particularly when it is induced by a single event and treated shortly after, are reversible. You should begin to see new baby hairs within 3 to 6 months.
How Long Does Recovery Take?
Recovery is not instant. It often takes 2 to 3 months after a stressful event for the hair to shed, and it may persist for weeks. It is possible that all the new hair shafts may not be visible for another 2–4 months, and shedding may continue in the meantime. So, the complete recovery cycle might be 6–9 months or longer.
Patience is key. It’s also important to let yourself concentrate on recovery instead of adding stress, extreme diets, or damaging hair care routines to the mix.
Factors That Affect TE Reversibility
Though TE is typically reversible, there are multiple factors that may affect the extent and duration of recovery:
- Excessively long trigger: Chronic stress or medical problems that have gone unmanaged could cause shedding to last longer or worsen.
- Nutrition: Deficiency in nutrients, such as iron, biotin or zinc, can hinder regrowth.
- Hormone-related reasons: If you have a thyroid or hormonal imbalance, this may be causing the shedding to proceed and should be treated if discovered.
- Older age and inheritance: Hair strands in individuals who have advanced aging or a genetic trend toward androgenetic alopecia (genetic thinning) may not regenerate the same way.
It could also be that telogen effluvium reveals an underlying condition, such as female-pattern hair loss. This, in turn, affects how one perceives the recovery process down the line.
When Regrowth May Be Partial?
In certain situations, regrowth of hair may be incomplete:
- If the trigger persists or is not identified
- If repeated episodes of telogen effluvium occur
- If there’s co-existing hair loss like traction alopecia or alopecia areata
In such cases, a more comprehensive medical approach is required to assess all contributing factors.
Importance of Professional Evaluation for Telogen Effluvium
Early and precise diagnosis is crucial in full recovery from telogen effluvium. Confusing chronic telogen effluvium with other types of alopecia may lead to an ineffective treatment. Self-diagnosis and over-the-counter remedies may not be enough; what works for one person may not work for you.
This is where clinical judgment comes in. Unexplained or persistent hair loss is a reason to make sure you do it now. Dr. Arvind Poswal is a world-renowned hair transplant surgeon. Specializing in treating telogen effluvium and other hair conditions, he can provide you with a personalized treatment plan. His years of experience and skill make the prospects of full recovery as high as possible.
Diagnosis and Treatment Options of Telogen Effluvium
Identifying telogen effluvium at the onset is the first step in restoring a full head of hair. An accurate diagnosis can eliminate other types of hair loss and lend direction to the most optimal treatment plan.
There isn’t one test that proves telogen effluvium, but hair specialists rely on a series of clinical tests:
- Patient History: Your hair transplant surgeon will want to know if you’ve been under recent stress, experienced any recent illness, changed your diet or medications, or had any hormonal setbacks. So, ensure to take your previous medical records with you.
- Pull Test: Pull-on small bundles of hair by hand to see how many loose strands come out; if many shed, then it leads to TE.
- Scalp Findings: TE typically features diffuse hair thinning with no sign of inflammation or scarring.
- Trichoscopy or Dermoscopy: It helps get a close-up view of the scalp to identify miniaturised hairs or the normal appearance of the hair follicle opening pattern.
- Blood Tests: These can reveal deficiencies (such as iron or vitamin D), hormonal imbalances (for example, the thyroid) or systemic problems that may be involved in your hair loss.
Medical Treatments for Telogen Effluvium
Once a telogen effluvium diagnosis is confirmed, treatment focuses on correcting the root cause. Key approaches include:
- Supplements: If levels are low, iron, biotin, vitamin D, and zinc can often be recommended or prescribed.
- Hormonal Treatment: Thyroid medications or adjusting hormonal contraceptives might be suggested if something is off.
- Stress Relief: Stress therapy and mindfulness techniques, along with stress-reducing lifestyle changes, can help reduce shedding caused by emotion-based stress conditions.
- Topical Minoxidil: Recommended in cases of refractory or chronic TE, it is an agent that stimulates hair follicles and can hasten the hair regrowth process.
Note: Minoxidil should be prescribed under proper medical supervision, especially in TE, as its use can lead to increased shedding prior to enhancement.
In-Clinic Options for Better Results
For chronic or severe cases, hair specialists or hair transplant surgeons may offer additional support through:
- Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy
- Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT)
- Micronutrient IV Infusions
These treatments increase blood flow, nourish follicles, and encourage regrowth, all of which are particularly handy when simply correcting nutrition and hormones won’t do.
How to Support Hair Regrowth During Telogen Effluvium at Home?
Although clinical treatments might stimulate a faster recovery, your individual home care is an important component in promoting hair re-growth after telogen effluvium.
Begin by ensuring a diet rich in essential nutrients. Add in plenty of protein, iron, zinc and vitamins D and B12, all nutrients associated with healthy hair. Scalp condition may also be improved through hydration and a good intake of healthy fats.
Next, say no to hostile hairdos. Tight hairstyles, heat, and chemicals can aggravate shedding. Switch to a mild, sulfate-free shampoo and wash only 2-3 times weekly to alleviate strain on the follicles. When you have time, let your hair air dry and use a wide-tooth comb so you aren’t breaking it.
It’s also about managing your stress. So yes, exercise, meditate and snooze. In doing so, you can better manage hormones and inflammation that play a role in hair growth and follicle cycles.
If you need personalized advice while dealing with your telogen effluvium condition from home, consider getting in touch with Dr Arvind Poswal. Using his knowledge in holistic and medical hair restoration, Dr. Poswal can design an individualized recovery plan, combining at-home practices with high-impact clinical treatments to speed things up on the journey to reverting your hair back to peak health.
Conclusion
Telogen effluvium can be worrying, but for the most part, it’s completely reversible with the correct level of care and intervention. The causes of hair loss are complex, and many factors play into this challenge, both systemically and locally.
For the best diagnosis and tailor-made recovery plans, visit us at Dr A’s Clinic. We will be giving you expert hands to take care of your hair health so that you can reverse the effects of telogen effluvium 100% and get back the hair you want.
