One of the most common causes of hair loss, for both men and women, is telogen effluvium. Alopecia is caused by extending the resting phase of the hair. The cause of telogen effluvium is a disorder of the body’s balance, e.g. hormonal disorders, inadequate diet, stress or concomitant diseases. During the treatment, the most important thing is to detect the cause of the problem and remove it. The implementation of an effective treatment means hair regeneration and disappearance of the thinning, within a few months.
What does the hair growth cycle look like?
Hair undergoes a constant and cyclic exchange, and the growth cycle consists of 2 main phases. The growth phase is anagen, and the resting phase is telogen. A short transition phase is also present. On the human head, each hair is in a different stage of the cycle, due to which all hair is constantly growing. Telogen is the phase, in which it comes to rest, stunted growth and hair loss. The growth phase lasts the longest and ranges from 2 to 5 years. For a young man, 90% of the hair on his head is in this phase. The resting phase lasts only for a few weeks. Under normal conditions, every tenth hair is in a resting phase. But for some patients, as a result of various disorders, 80% of hair may be in the telogen phase. Disorders in the hair phase are visible for the naked eye and manifest as alopecia.
Causes of telogen effluvium?
Doctors say, that there are many causes of telogen baldness, which can be very diverse. One of the main causes are hormonal disorders, e.g. thyroid disease or hormone level disorders after delivery. A common cause is also taking various types of drugs, which include retinoids, beta-blockers, anti-epileptic or anti-thyroid drugs. The cause of baldness is broadly understood as a violation of the body’s balance. This situation can take place in case of a diseases like, autoimmune, infectious, chronic (e.g. HIV) or diabetes. Lifestyle and stress are important too. States of chronic stress mean, that the body’s secretion of substances has a negative effect on the condition of the hair.
The right condition for healthy hair is a balanced diet without junk food, excess sugar, stimulants and cigarettes. Implementing vitamins and minerals in your diet will take care of your hair’s health and stop hair loss. Women are more exposed to telogen effluvium, because women suffer from hormonal disorders more often. The disease can occur for people of all ages, even young children. However, the most vulnerable are people over the age of 30.
Symptoms
The main symptom of telogen effluvium is a significant thinning of hair on the scalp. It is a reason for embarrassment, discomfort, and sometimes even withdrawal from social life. The first symptom is increased hair loss, which can be observed when brushing the hair or showering. We lose about 100 pieces of hair every day and this is a completely normal process. During telogen effluvium, hair loss will be noticeable, and the defects will gradually turn into thinning. There is no complete alopecia in telogen effluvium. But hair thinning is not the only characteristic. For telogen effluvium, hair follicles are preserved, and a complete hair regeneration is possible.
What does the diagnosis look like?
During the visit, the doctor will ask the patient about any changes that are a burden to the body. Strong stress, too much work or a poor diet can affect this disease. It is very important to detect any diseases, that may affect the condition and state of hair. The trichologist will examine the patient’s scalp and may use the information to make a diagnosis. Additional tests may be performed, including a hair sample test.
Telegenic effluvium treatment
The most important step is to remove the causes of the imbalances in the human body. In most cases, just removing the causes of the disease will give huge results. Hair will start to grow back on its own and thinning will become less visible. For other patients, the treatment options are quite limited. In this case, preparations are used to strengthen hair and stimulate hair growth. We include shampoos, wipes, conditioners and ampoules. It is recommended to perform one of this procedures at the trichologist:
- Scalp mesotherapy,
- UVA / UVB / PUVA therapy,
- Cryo-massage Cryo-S,
- Dr CYJ Hair Filler,
- Scalp carboxytherapy.
These treatments are performed in series. The trichologist will select the appropriate treatment and determine the treatment schedule.
Home remedies
Daily care of the scalp, as well as hair, is very important when it comes to the treatment of telogen effluvium. Attention should be paid to the quality and composition of cosmetics, used for hygiene and hair styling. While washing your hair, you can do a gentle massage and avoid rubbing the scalp. It is better to comb dry hair, to avoid excessive loss. It is also recommended to limit the use of a dryer or straightener, which overheats and weakens the hair. The patient should avoid factors, that may irritate the skin. It is recommended to lightly trim the hair, which will not burden the hair follicles. Using these advices, along with comprehensive treatments ,will get rid of this bothersome disease.
