What Is Telogen Effluvium?
Telogen effluvium is hair loss due to an increased number of hair follicles entering the resting stage. The most common causes of Telogen Effluvium are :
Thyroid abnormalities, Medications
High doses of Vitamin A –Blood pressure medications — Gout medications.
Diet and Hair Loss
Hair loss may also occur due to dieting. Franchised diet programs which are designed or administered under the direction of a physician with prescribed meals, dietary supplements and vitamin ingestion have become popular. Sometimes vitamins are a necessary part of the program to prevent hair loss associated with dieting. However, the vitamins cannot prevent hair loss associated with rapid, significant weight loss. Furthermore, many of these supplements are high in vitamin A which can magnify the hair loss.
Physical Stress & Emotional Stress
(surgery, illness, anaemia, rapid weight change, mental illness, death of a family member)
Surgeries, severe illnesses and emotional stress can cause hair loss. The body simply shuts down production of hair during periods of stress since it is not necessary for survival and instead devotes its energies toward repairing vital body structures. In many cases, there is a three month delay between the actual event and the onset of hair loss. Furthermore, there may be another three month delay prior to the return of noticeable hair re-growth. This then means that the total hair loss and re-growth cycle can last 6 months or possibly longer when induced by physical or emotional stress. There are some health conditions which may go undetected that can contribute to hair loss. These include anaemia or low blood count and thyroid abnormalities. Both of these conditions can be detected by a simple, inexpensive blood test.
When the above causes of telogen effluvium are reversed or altered you should see the return of normal hair growth.