Telogen Effluvium: A Response
February 1994
in “
Archives of Dermatology
”
TLDR Both parties agree that cell death is important in the hair cycle, but they have different views on the role of the catagen phase and hair shedding.
In the correspondence titled "Telogen Effluvium," Drs. David Weedon and Geoffrey Strutton critique the article by John J. Headington, arguing that the focus on telogen effluvium overshadows the significance of catagen in the hair cycle. They suggest that apoptosis, influenced by genes such as bc1-2, myc, p53, and APO-1/Fas, is a key factor in catagen and subsequent hair shedding. In response, Headington clarifies that while catagen is not clinically detectable, it is important histologically for diagnosing certain alopecias. He acknowledges that his view of club hair shedding as an active biological process is unsubstantiated by experimental studies, but his examination of over 1000 scalp biopsy specimens does not support a passive displacement mechanism for hair shedding. Headington emphasizes the importance of apoptosis in the hair cycle, a point on which both parties agree.
