- All Star Design

Just recently, I received a client who wanted a design about Telogen Effluvium. Honestly, I do not have any idea about the “word” that is why I asked him, “What is that?”. I told my self that this is a challenge.

That foreign sounding word is actually a disease about hair loss. Sometimes, there will be a day when your hair will be shedding but in the end it will grow just back after a while. There are some cases though in which hair does not grow back. There are a number of possible reasons for this hair loss. Reasons can either be natural or brought about by a disease. One of those diseases that can cause hair loss is Telogen Effluvium and if hair restoration is a viable option for this? Let us all find out.

Defining Telogen Effluvium

Telogen Effluvium is the name for the temporary hair loss which is caused by the shedding of resting or telogen hair. It can be caused by some shock to the system. The telogen hair has a shape of a bulb or a club – shaped tip. Anagen effluvium is different though, in which the hair shedding is caused by the interruption of the active or anagen hair growth and the loss is caused drugs, toxins, or an inflammation. Anagen hair has a pointed or a tapered tip.

Reasons Behind Telogen Effluvium

The human healthy scalp has about 85% of the hair follicles that are actively growing hair, while the remaining 15% are resting. The growing hair is called anagen hair while the resting hair is called the telogen hair. The hair follicle grows the anagen hair for 4 years or so and then it rests for about 4 months. But if there is some shock introduced to the system, up to 70% of the anagen hair in a person’s head will be turned into telogen, which in turn reverses the usual ratio. The possible causes for this are:

• Illness like fever
• Surgical procedures
• Accident
• Giving birth to a child
• Nervous breakdown
• Weight loss caused by an unusual diet
• Certain medications
• Ceasing of the use of the contraceptive pill
• Overseas travel resulting in jetlag
• Too much exposure to the sun

True enough, I learn something new.