Telogen Effluvium: A Comprehensive Review

The 2019 document provided a comprehensive review of Telogen Effluvium (TE), a disorder characterized by excessive hair shedding, primarily affecting women. The paper discussed the challenges in diagnosing TE, such as determining the extent of hair loss, distinguishing it from androgenetic alopecia, and understanding its main symptom, trichodynia. The paper suggested the use of the modified wash test (MWT) to assess hair loss, with TE considered when hair shedding exceeds 100 hairs every 5 days. The document also explored the different types of TE, including premature teloptosis, collective teloptosis, and premature entry into the telogen phase, and potential causes such as drug-induced TE, nutritional deficiencies, and lymphocytotoxicity. The presence of trichodynia was noted in about 20% of TE cases and could indicate the severity of the disorder. The document also mentioned the use of clobetasol foam as a potential treatment for autoimmune TE. The importance of patient management, including assessing the severity of hair loss and monitoring its course, was emphasized.