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Home / Conditions / Traumatic / Anagen Effluvium
Traumatic · condition 16 of 18
Anagen Effluvium: Sudden Hair Loss During Treatment
Rapid loss during treatment. The follicles usually survive.
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Nina Ross, NDServing all of Metro Atlanta
Quick answer
Anagen effluvium is hair loss that happens while follicles are actively growing, most often during chemotherapy or after certain other treatments and exposures.
Read the full answer
Because the majority of your scalp hair is in the growth phase at any moment, the loss is rapid and widespread, usually beginning within one to three weeks of treatment starting. The follicle itself is generally not destroyed.
Regrowth commonly begins within a few weeks to a few months after treatment ends, and the first hair back is often a different texture or color before settling closer to your own. If you would like your scalp looked after during or after this, we are here, gently and at your pace. Nina Ross Atlanta, Sandy Springs, serving all of Metro Atlanta.
- The follicle is generally not destroyed.
- Regrowth often arrives in a new texture first.
- We move at your pace.
What you might be noticing
Symptoms in your words, and ours
Tap the one that sounds like you to see why it happens and how we figure it out.
01It came out fast, everywhere
Rapid diffuse loss of anagen hairs✋🏾
Why it happens
Most scalp hair is in its growth phase at any moment, so when treatment interrupts growth, the loss is fast and widespread.
How we figure it out
When you are ready, a 200x read shows whether the follicles are open and preparing to regrow.
02It started right after treatment began
Onset within one to three weeks✋🏾
Why it happens
Loss that begins within one to three weeks of treatment is typical of anagen effluvium.
How we figure it out
We note the timing with your treatment dates. It helps us know what stage your scalp is in.
03My scalp is tender or sensitive
Scalp sensitivity during treatment✋🏾
Why it happens
Tenderness during treatment is common. The scalp is going through a lot alongside the rest of you.
How we figure it out
We keep everything gentle and add nothing that irritates, starting with a comfortable scalp routine.
04Eyebrows and lashes went too
Loss across other anagen-dominant sites✋🏾
Why it happens
Brows and lashes also have many hairs in their growth phase, so they are often affected at the same time.
How we figure it out
Tell us what you have noticed. We take the whole picture into account at your pace.
05It grew back curly when it was straight
Post-treatment texture change✋🏾
Why it happens
New hair after treatment often arrives with a different texture or color before settling closer to your own.
How we figure it out
We read the new growth at 200x and help you care for textured regrowth, whatever form it takes.
What causes it
What is actually driving it
- 01
Interruption of rapidly dividing cells
Treatments that target fast-dividing cells also reach the cells building your hair shaft, so growing hairs break at the scalp.
- 02
Radiation to the scalp area
Localized radiation affects follicles in the treated field, and recovery there depends on the dose and field.
- 03
Certain toxic exposures
Some exposures produce the same rapid interruption of the growth phase, though this is far less common.
What we see that others miss
Spotting regrowth before the mirror does
At 200x, the earliest regrowth appears as fine, evenly spaced new hairs emerging from open follicles across the whole scalp rather than in patches. Seeing that pattern confirms the follicles are working again, often weeks before there is anything visible to you.
For a lot of people, that confirmation is the useful thing, and it takes one visit.
How we treat it
What care looks like here
During treatment the priority is comfort and protection: a gentle scalp routine and nothing that adds irritation. Afterward, when your oncology team says it is appropriate, a restorative program and light-based therapy can support the scalp while regrowth establishes. We move at whatever pace suits you and there is no pressure here.
- 01Comfort and protection during treatment
- 02Support the scalp afterward
- 03Move at your pace
Red Light Therapy
Low level light used to calm scalp inflammation and support the growth phase.
You are welcome here
We are well-versed in us.
Regrowth after treatment often arrives with a different curl pattern, and finding someone who knows how to care for textured regrowth should not be difficult. It is not difficult here.
Relaxers, braids, locs, weaves and heat. Share your full hair history. It is welcomed, never judged.
10 years of specialized care2,500+ clients seenNo judgment
Related conditions
Often confused with this
Telogen Effluvium
Sudden diffuse shedding, usually about three months after a trigger.
Medication Hair Loss
Which medications are associated with shedding, and the right next step.
Alopecia Areata
Smooth, round patches that appear quickly. The follicle usually survives.
Questions, answered
Honest answers before you commit
Will my hair grow back after chemotherapy?
In most cases the follicle is not destroyed and regrowth begins within a few weeks to a few months after treatment ends. Your oncology team knows the specifics of your regimen. Results not typical. Individual results will vary.
Why did it come back a different texture?
New hair after treatment often arrives with a different texture or color, and it commonly settles closer to your own over time.
Can I do anything while I am still in treatment?
Comfort comes first. A gentle scalp routine and avoiding anything that irritates is the focus while you are in treatment.
When should I come see you?
Whenever you are ready. Some people come for reassurance that regrowth has started, others once treatment ends. There is no wrong time.
Should I change anything about my treatment?
No. Your treatment decisions stay with your oncology team. Our role is looking after your scalp.
One visit. Real answers.
The $99 Hair & Body Discovery
No prepOne visitYour time, your pickNo judgmentServing all of Metro Atlanta
- One-on-one scalp health session with a certified trichologist
- 200x magnification read of your scalp, on screen, while you watch
- A full-body biofeedback scan
- Your Hair & Body Discovery Report, delivered the next day
Our promiseYou'll leave actually seeing what's happening, your scalp at 200x, the systems behind it, with your report the next day. If you don't, the $99 is on us.
Fully HSA/FSA eligible. 0% financing for qualified applicants.
Results not typical. Individual results will vary.
Let's find out what your hair is trying to tell you.
You'll see it, or the $99 is on us. Serving all of Metro Atlanta.
Nina Ross Atlanta, 8735 Dunwoody Place, Suite 290, Sandy Springs, GA 30350. Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM.