two to four months after the event that triggered the problem, and lasts approximately six months. New hairs begin growing immediately after the hair falls out, but significant growth may not be noticed for several months because the average hair grows about 1/2inch per month. Many people usually have fixed the cause of the telogen effluvium by the time their hair starts to fall out.
- Month 0 – Shock to the body, anagen hair goes to telogen
- 2-4 Months Later – Telogen Effluvium begins, up to 3x the amount of regular hair falls
- Up to 6 month duration – Telogen Effluvium, hair fall continues. Hair grows back at the usual 1/2 inch per month as the hair falls
As you can see, it can take a whole year from the time of your Telogen Effluvium trigger to be back to normal. It’s difficult but very important to not stress during this or it may continue to trigger TE resulting in what some people call CTE (chronic telogen effluvium).
Preventing Hair Fall
Once Telogen Effluvium is triggered, nothing can be done to stop the hair fall. Some cases may be caused by a poor diet, and these might be prevented by eating a balanced diet that provides enough protein, iron and other nutrients.
Getting Through Telogen Effluvium
After you have addressed the reasons for your telogen effluvium trigger, it’s important to know and believe that the hair fall will pass. This will ease the anxiety you get every time you see the hairs on the floor or your pillow. People have reported anywhere from 6 months to a year to show signs of recovering.
Here are some methods that help
- During shower, do not look at the hair coming out. Don’t look at your hands or body, just rinse it down. These hairs were going to fall either way. Looking at them just adds to the psychological stress
- Get towels and pillow cases that hide your hair. Having a white towel and white pillow case while you have dark hair emphasizes every hair that comes out
- Get rid of the extra mirrors. Every time you look at a mirror, you will look at your scalp
- Dim the lights when styling your hair. At least don’t stand right underneath light. All this just adds to your shock.
- It may help to tell your close / loved ones about your situation. They may not even notice any difference.
- Keep yourself busy!
Please note that, it’s good to see how your hair fall is doing every now and then to see if your condition is improving.
Telogen Effluvium Treatment
No treatment for active telogen effluvium has been proven effective.
Some causes of the disorder can be corrected. For example, if you have a poor diet, consult a dietitian to help you balance it. If the hair loss began after you started a new medication, talk to your doctor to see if the medication should be discontinued. Many times, however, the cause is a specific event in the past, and you can expect that the hair will grow back. In cases where hair growth has not returned to a satisfactory level, your doctor may prescribe minoxidil (Rogaine), a lotion applied to the scalp that may stimulate hair growth in some people.
Will hair grow back after Telogen Effluvium?
Good news is, if you have a simple case of telogen effluvium and the trigger is resolved, your hair will grow back. Most cases run their course within six to nine months, and the hair usually grows back. In some cases, the disorder may last longer. In other cases, not all hairs grow back.