Trichodynia Is a Distinguishing Symptom of Telogen Effluvium

In a study involving 109 patients (12 men and 97 women) who attended a hair clinic for hair loss, trichodynia—a painful sensation at the scalp—was found to be a distinguishing symptom of telogen effluvium. The patients underwent a modified wash test to diagnose their hair loss condition. Trichodynia was reported by 36 patients, with 25 having telogen effluvium, 2 having androgenetic alopecia, and 9 having both conditions. None of the patients in remission from telogen effluvium reported trichodynia. The prevalence of trichodynia in patients with active telogen effluvium and those with both telogen effluvium and androgenetic alopecia was 50.7%, which was statistically significant (P<0.001). The study concluded that trichodynia is almost exclusively associated with active telogen effluvium, affecting about half of these patients and sparing those in remission, suggesting it may be a marker of activity of an inflammatory peripilar process.