Natural Hair Dye

Hair loss due to shedding of disproportionate numbers of resting or telogen hair is known as telogen effluvium. It is the type of hair and scalp disease that can be acute or chronic depending on the shedding of hair. It is acute when there is temporary shedding of hair and chronic when for a longer period of time there is constant shedding of hair. It usually does not result to baldness even though there is loss of an excessive amount of hair because new hair continues to grow.

Telogen effluvium should be distinguished from anagen effluvium, wherein hair shedding is due to disturbance of active or anagen hair growth by toxins or inflammation and drugs prescribed for chemotherapy that can result to baldness. A person’s healthy scalp has at least 85% of hair follicles that are actively growing (anagen) hair and 15% of resting (telogen) hair. Telogen hair has a bulb or club-shaped tip while anagen hair has a tapered or pointed tip.

There is “shock to the system” if there are as many as 70% of hair shed for two months after the shock. If you have handfuls of hair coming out, you are suffering acute telogen effluvium. Usual precipitants may include: accident, nervous shock, weight loss or unusual diet, illness associated with fever, surgical operation, and excessive sun exposure or due to certain medications.

Though no treatment is needed in most cases of telogen effluvium, it is important to know the underlying cause for the problem. If the cause is not apparent blood test may be necessary. If the cause of telogen effluvium is medication, the medication should be stopped. Bear in mind that when hair falls out, a sign of new hair will grow.