What’s normal when it comes to hair loss? According to experts, people shed an average of 100 to 200 a day. Losing this much hair may seem a lot, but it is not when you consider how much hair you have.
Hair shedding is part of the normal hair cycle that includes periods of growth, rest, shedding, and regrowth. But there are also times when the shedding becomes excessive, resulting in thinning or bald spots. When this happens, the hair loss is considered abnormal, and telogen effluvium is one of its most common causes.
What Is Telogen Effluvium?
A type of hair loss condition, telogen effluvium is characterised by excessive shedding that happens after a shock to the body. The shock can take the form of stress or a traumatic event. The hair follicles prematurely go into the telogen or resting phase in this condition, hence the name.
It typically occurs several months after a person experiences the shock. The condition can be chronic; wherein a person experiences repeated periods of hair loss that last for over six months. Even so, telogen effluvium is generally considered a temporary hair loss condition.
Moreover, people suffering from it may lose significant amounts of their hair but not go bald. Most sufferers may have noticeable hair thinning, though. The good news is that this hair loss condition is reversible. Even chronic sufferers can still have a full head of hair as long as they get professional treatment.
What Can Trigger Telogen Effluvium?
b Physiological factors may bring about stress. For instance, women in menopause may develop this condition because of the hormonal changes that take place when their menstrual cycle ends. Women who have just given birth, on the other hand, may experience post-partum telogen effluvium, which is also brought about by hormonal fluctuations.
The stress may also be due to a surgical procedure or medical condition like an overactive or underactive thyroid gland. Having a poor diet can also cause telogen effluvium as well as using certain medications like antidepressants, beta and/or calcium channel blockers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
You may also develop this hair loss condition if you experience frequent or prolonged emotional distress. Excessive hairstyling and treatment can likewise cause excessive hair shedding.
How to Treat Telogen Effluvium
Telogen effluvium may stop even without treatment. Still, it is best to see a trichologist when experiencing excessive hair shedding. Remember, hair loss has different causes. Moreover, you achieve better results when your condition is treated early.
It is also worth mentioning that when telogen effluvium is not treated, it can become chronic and result in permanent hair loss.
So, what are the effective treatments for telogen effluvium? Its cause or trigger needs to be identified to treat this condition successfully. Once it is known, a personalised treatment approach may be developed to normalise the hair cycle and promote healthy hair growth.
Why does the treatment have to be personalised?
People may have the same condition, but their reactions to the treatment may differ. Some will have favourable results; others will have no progress with it. For this reason, it is crucial to consult with a hair and scalp specialist to determine the best possible treatment plan for you.
The treatment may include medications proven to stimulate the follicles and supplements essential for healthy hair. Lifestyle changes and more nutritious food choices to address nutritional deficiencies, excesses and imbalance can also be effective solutions to this hair loss problem. In addition, stress management, counselling and therapy can be helpful to some sufferers.
It is also advisable to remain patient throughout the treatment and recovery process. Finding a cure that works may take time. Plus, stressing about your hair loss can further exacerbate the problem.
Trust your trichologist and the treatment plan she designed. Also, know that telogen effluvium is often temporary and reversible. As long as you follow your specialist’s recommendation, you can expect to have a full head of hair once again.
Are you experiencing telogen effluvium? Talk to our experienced trichologist to determine the proper treatment for your condition. Call us today on +353 (0)1 6793618 or click here to leave us a message on our website.
