Acute and Chronic Telogen Effluvium

January 2023 in “ Springer eBooks ”

H. Gil Rushton

telogen effluvium anagen catagen telogen exogen hair shedding hair cycle disturbance hair density

TLDR Hair shedding that lasts over 6 months may need a closer look, but often just reassurance is enough.

The human hair cycle consists of four phases: anagen, catagen, telogen, and exogen. Any disruption to this cycle can cause acute telogen effluvium, a condition characterized by increased hair shedding. If this shedding persists for 6 months or more, it becomes chronic telogen effluvium, necessitating biochemical investigations. Often, hair loss leads to changes in haircare and grooming routines, which can artificially increase the observed hair loss. It's crucial to understand this potential confounding factor. Increased hair shedding also occurs in patients with reduced hair density. Identifying the factor that induced the hair cycle disturbance is essential for determining if any intervention is required, although reassurance is often all that's needed.

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