My Telogen Effluvium

by Rachel
(New York)

I'm a 37 year old woman who was under a lot of stress. I was emotionally wiped! I was about 149 lbs then was so stressed that I was going all day without eating. If I ate anything it would be a salad and that was about it. Within about 2 and a half months I was 126 lbs. So I dropped 23 lbs in that short period of time. Then I noticed my hair being a little thinner than normal. I had a good head of hair!

Then I really started to notice in the shower how I was losing tons of hair. I would then get out of the shower and another 100 hairs would be on my hands or in the sink. I was losing at least 300 hairs a day (I counted) I saw a dermatologist who told me it's "probably" TE. I had a bunch of blood tests done and nothing came back abnormal. I'm nervous because my one sister lost a lot of hair and never got it back. She has been on many different meds and does not take care of herself. I'm not on any meds and take better care of myself.

My dad & brother went bald. My mom & other sister have thinner hair but none the less have hair. I have been taking biotin & multi vitamins. Started eating meats again and gained 11 lbs back. I was losing hair for about 4 months. I'm now only losing about 50 to 100 hairs a day. Which they say is normal. My problem is I don't see any new growth. Should I see new growth right after the hair fall? Please someone let me know.


Editor’s Comments,

Hello there,

>Stress and a terrible diet is indeed a very sure way to ignite TE and since your dermatologist suggested that it’s Telogen Effluvium, it should be it then. TE usually lasts from a few days to even months depending on how severe the shock was to your hair follicles.

There is no exact time frame on when your hair will grow back again but in most cases of TE, patients will usually recover few months after the period of sudden shedding. You should note that hair grows slowly so if you have really long hair, it will take time for them to get back to the desired length. Patience is the key in your recovery.

I’m glad to know you are taking supplements as they are a good way to boost hair growth. Vitamin B Complex or Biotin alone is great for hair growth. Other health supplements like Essential Fatty Acids like Omega 3 and 6 can also help improve your hair’s quality.

I wouldn’t suggest that you take any medications since if your hair loss is returning to its normal pace, supplements should suffice. You might want to try a little scalp massage with some essential oils too as it helps greatly with your hair. Good luck!