How can you tell the difference between androgenetic alopecia and telogen effluvium?
The hair loss occurring in telogen effluvium tends to be more rapid than in the case of androgenetic alopecia. The instigating factor or event typically occurs 2 to 4 months prior to noticeable hair loss, and the shedding lasts between 2 and 4 months.
How do you know if your hair loss is androgenic?
This condition is called androgenic alopecia, male-pattern baldness and female-pattern baldness. It usually occurs gradually and in predictable patterns — a receding hairline and bald spots in men and thinning hair along the crown of the scalp in women. Hormonal changes and medical conditions.
Can you have telogen effluvium and androgenetic alopecia at the same time?
With telogen effluvium, the “party line” is that shedding does not cause permanent hair loss. However, what we now know is that repeated cycles of shedding speeds up the onset of androgenetic alopecia in patients WHO ARE GENETICALLY PREDISPOSED to develop genetic hair loss.
What does chronic telogen effluvium look like?
Patients with chronic telogen effluvium (CTE) characteristically present “with a history of hair loss with both increased shedding . . . of abrupt onset . . . and show diffuse thinning of hair all over the scalp. . . . ”1(p 899) Unfortunately, what “increased” actually means is not easy to establish, and thinning hair …
What does telogen effluvium look like?
If you have telogen effluvium, you’ll notice more hair than usual accumulating on your pillowcase, on the shower or bathroom floor and in your hairbrush. Your scalp hair may feel or look less dense than usual. Often, though, the hair loss is subtle, and other people may not notice anything different about your hair.
Does telogen effluvium cause hair thinning?
Telogen effluvium is a common cause of temporary hair loss. It is characterized by an abrupt onset of hair shedding usually seen several months after a triggering event.
What does telogen effluvium hair loss look like?
Telogen effluvium can be acute or chronic. If there is some “shock to the system”, as many as 70% of the scalp hairs are then shed in large numbers about 2 months after the “shock”. This sudden increase in hair loss, usually described as the hair coming out in handfuls, is acute telogen effluvium.
How do I know if my hair loss is permanent or temporary?
Pregnancy, and other factors that lead to hormone fluctuations, may also cause temporary hair loss. If you’re noticing hair loss, the best way to find out whether it’s temporary or permanent will be to speak an experienced physician like Dr. Leonard or Dr. Lopresti.
Can you go bald from telogen effluvium?
Telogen effluvium does not generally lead to complete baldness, although you may lose 300 to 500 hairs per day, and hair may appear thin, especially at the crown and temples. A medical event or condition, such as a thyroid imbalance, childbirth, surgery, or a fever, typically triggers this type of hair loss.
Can biotin help with telogen effluvium?
Eating foods such as fish for vitamin D and eggs for biotin may be beneficial in the treatment of telogen effluvium.
Can I use minoxidil for telogen effluvium?
“For patients whose hair loss persists and the telogen effluvium is chronic, topical minoxidil can be helpful,” Linkov says.