Severe Hair Loss During Inpatient Rehabilitation Due to Telogen Effluvium: A Case Report

The document reports a case of a 24-year-old woman who experienced severe hair loss, diagnosed as Telogen Effluvium (TE), during her inpatient rehabilitation following a T10 complete spinal cord injury caused by an airplane crash. Despite being medically stable and actively participating in her rehabilitation program, she reported progressive hair loss. Her vitamin levels and thyroid function were normal, and her medications were unlikely to cause severe hair loss. TE, a benign form of non-scarring alopecia characterized by diffuse hair shedding, was identified as the cause. It is often triggered by physiological stress or hormonal changes, leading to a shift of hair follicles from the growing phase to the resting phase, with subsequent hair loss occurring 3-6 months after the trauma. The patient was reassured that her hair loss was likely transient and would regrow. The case emphasizes the importance of considering TE as a potential cause of hair loss in patients with severe trauma in acute rehabilitation settings, especially if it occurs within the expected timeline post-trauma and other causes have been ruled out.