Most of us will experience some amount of male or female pattern baldness during our lives, with the chances increasing with age. It is the leading cause of hair loss across the world. There are, however, other causes of hair loss.
Telogen effluvium is a form of hair loss that is not related to genetics. Rather, it is tied to stress. In part, because it is a temporary form of hair loss, it is hard to get an accurate number of people who are actively living with telogen effluvium at any given time.
What Triggers Telogen Effluvium?
We all experience stress in our lives, so we understand that day-to-day stress alone does not trigger telogen effluvium. This form of hair loss is associated with high levels of stress sustained over time as well as changes to the body (including hormone levels). Common triggers include hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, childbirth, and discontinued use of birth control pills. This makes telogen effluvium a common cause of rapid hair loss – as well as a common form of hair loss for women in general.
Telogen effluvium can also be triggered by acute illnesses, such as COVID. Rapid weight loss can also trigger telogen effluvium so temporary hair loss is sometimes a reaction to taking GLP1 medications.
How Long Does Telogen Effluvium Last?
There are two kinds of telogen effluvium, acute and chronic. The prevailing difference between the two is that acute lasts less than six months and chronic lasts greater than six months. It does take anywhere from two to three months for the stressor or change in our body to manifest in telogen effluvium, so keep that in mind if you’re trying to understand that triggers – such as high fever, severe infections, major surgery, and some medications – could also lead to this form of acute rapid hair loss.
Chronic telogen effluvium may be tied to autoimmune diseases, medications, or other triggers that will need to be remedied in order to reverse course. Really, though, the medical triggers for both chronic and acute telogen effluvium are basically the same. The main difference is that chronic telogen effluvium lasts longer than six months.
Do Telogen Effluvium Hairs Grow Back?
In instances of acute telogen effluvium, approximately 19 in 20 people affected regrow the hair they lost. Generally, the triggers for chronic telogen effluvium need to be remedied or the risk of more permanent hair loss in some of the affected regions of your scalp could increase. Knowing that the triggers are often two to three months prior to experiencing this form of hair loss should be able to help pinpoint the root cause and allow you to seek medical guidance from a general practitioner or specialist to treat the trigger if necessary.
PNW Hair Restoration Will Work With You To Restore Your Hair
Although most people will regrow the hair they lost as a direct result of telogen effluvium, we are still susceptible to male and female pattern baldness in addition to other forms of hair loss. PNW Hair Restoration is the only facility in Oregon to utilize the most highly recommended method for FUE hair transplants, the ARTAS® Robotic Hair Transplant System. We also offer several non-surgical treatments to maximize recovery of stressed follicles. Our team always meets with prospective clients in person to explore their options and best chart their path to hair restoration. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you get back to looking like yourself again.
Leave a Reply