Understanding Telogen Effluvium: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

Explore Over 11,000+ Conditions, Medications, and Symptoms.

Get a personalized feed by signing up for free.

All Conditions

Telogen Effluvium

by Alike Medical Team ∙ Updated on June 13, 2023

General

Telogen effluvium is a type of temporary hair loss caused by a stressor or change to your body. Telogen effluvium affects your hair when it’s in the telogen stage. After a stressor or change to your body, up to 70% of your hair in the anagen stage prematurely enters the telogen phase, which causes hair loss.

9 people with Telogen Effluvium are on Alike.

"Alike is the place to get answers from people who firsthand share your health challenges"

Signs & symptoms

Symptoms of telogen effluvium include: * Increased hair loss, which you may notice in your hairbrush, in your shower drain or on your pillow. * Thinning hair on your scalp. * Dry hairs that fall out easily. If you have telogen effluvium, your scalp should look healthy. You shouldn’t have any other symptoms, such as a rash, itching, burning, pain or flaking.

Diagnosis

Telogen effluvium is easy to recognize. A healthcare provider can confirm it during a physical examination of your scalp. They may conduct a "pull test", in which they gently pull a small clump of 40 to 60 hairs between their fingers. Under typical conditions, they may only pull two to three hairs from your scalp. If you have telogen effluvium, they may pull at least four to six hairs from your scalp with white bulbs at the roots. Your healthcare provider will also ask you about your diet and recent medical history. They may identify a dietary cause or a stress or illness that occurred about three months before you noticed hair loss. In many cases, someone with telogen effluvium has fully recovered from a stressor or illness and doesn’t see a connection between it and their hair loss.

Treatment

Telogen effluvium should resolve on its own, so you may not need treatment. However, common telogen effluvium treatments may include: * Medications: Over-the-counter (OTC) medications you apply to your scalp, such as minoxidil, promote hair growth. Some side effects of minoxidil may include headache, scalp irritation and unusual hair growth. You shouldn’t use minoxidil if you’re pregnant or chestfeeding (breastfeeding). * Multivitamins or supplements: Multivitamins that contain iron or an iron supplement help promote hair growth. Biotin supplements also help promote strong, healthy hair. * Styling techniques: You may be able to obscure or hide your hair loss with certain hairstyles, wigs or hair weaves.

Note

☝ We provide information on prescription and over-the-counter medicines, diagnosis, procedures and lab tests. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

National Institutes of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ MedlinePluse ∙ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

☝ All information has been reviewed by certified physicians from Alike

Latest Discussions

RxQueen

Hair shedding after COVID-19: Need advice!

Alike Wisdom

Instantly get answers to medical questions with our AI, built from the collective wisdom of our community facing similar experiences

Hair shedding after COVID-19: Need advice!

Alike is a transformative platform that goes beyond just bringing together patients; it meticulously connects individuals based on multiple critical factors, such as age, gender, comorbidities, medications, diet, and more, fostering a community of knowledge, support and empathy.

About Alike Wisdom Blog FAQ Editorial Team All Conditions All Posts All Communities Support

Your Privacy Stories Community Guidelines Terms of Use Privacy Policy Helplines Contact Us Group Chats Guidelines Moderation Process

Sign In