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Other · condition 17 of 18
Telogen Effluvium: Why You Are Shedding, and When It Stops
Sudden diffuse shedding, usually about three months after a trigger.
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Nina Ross, NDServing all of Metro Atlanta
Quick answer
Telogen effluvium is a shedding episode where an unusual number of follicles shift out of growth and into their resting phase at the same time.
Read the full answer
Those hairs release together roughly two to three months later, which is why the shedding rarely lines up with the event that caused it.
Common triggers include illness or fever, surgery, rapid weight loss, low iron, thyroid changes, a new medication and periods of high stress. The shedding is diffuse across the whole scalp rather than patchy, and the follicles are not damaged. Most episodes settle within three to six months once the trigger is resolved. When shedding runs longer than six months, something is still active and worth finding. We read your scalp at 200x in Sandy Springs, serving all of Metro Atlanta.
- The shed shows up two to three months after the trigger.
- The follicles are not damaged.
- Past six months, something is still driving it.
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.
01Hair everywhere, in the shower and on my pillow
Increased daily telogen shedding✋🏾
Why it happens
Heavy daily shedding is commonly linked to a large group of follicles entering the resting phase at the same time, then releasing together.
How we figure it out
We confirm the shedding is diffuse at 200x and look at what happened two to three months before it started.
02It is thinner all over, not in one spot
Diffuse loss without patches✋🏾
Why it happens
All-over thinning without patches points toward a trigger inside the body rather than something happening in one area of the scalp.
How we figure it out
We compare several areas of your scalp at 200x to confirm the pattern is diffuse.
03The hairs have a little white bulb
Club-shaped telogen root✋🏾
Why it happens
A small pale bulb at the end means the hair shed from its resting phase. It came out at the root, which is typical for this kind of shedding.
How we figure it out
We look at shed hairs to tell a resting-phase shed from breakage, which has a blunt or frayed tip and no bulb.
04Something big happened a few months ago
Two to three month latency after trigger✋🏾
Why it happens
Illness, surgery, rapid weight loss or a stressful stretch can push follicles into rest. The shed arrives two to three months later, which is why it rarely lines up with the event.
How we figure it out
We walk back through the months before the shedding started, and check iron, thyroid and nutrient status in-house.
05It has been shedding for over six months
Chronic telogen effluvium✋🏾
Why it happens
When shedding runs past six months, something is usually still active, such as low iron, a thyroid change or an ongoing stressor.
How we figure it out
We look for what is still driving it, and check whether pattern thinning is present alongside the shedding.
What causes it
What is actually driving it
- 01
Illness, fever or surgery
A significant physical stress pushes a large group of follicles into resting phase at once. The shed arrives months later.
- 02
Iron and nutrient depletion
Low ferritin is one of the most common findings behind shedding that will not stop, and it is straightforward to test.
- 03
Thyroid changes
Both underactive and overactive thyroid disturb the cycle and produce diffuse shedding.
- 04
Rapid weight loss or restriction
Sharp calorie or protein restriction tells the body to deprioritize hair. The shed follows a couple of months behind.
- 05
New medications
Several common medications can trigger a shedding episode. Bring your list, and never stop a prescription on your own.
What we see that others miss
Even shedding, and follicles that are not damaged
Even, all-over shedding points to a trigger inside the body rather than damage in one area. And because the follicles themselves are healthy, regrowth returns the same way it left: evenly.
We also check whether the hairs remaining on your scalp are uniform in thickness. Uniform means shedding. Mixed means pattern thinning is present too.
How we treat it
What care looks like here
The work is finding the trigger, because the follicles themselves are healthy. We confirm the diffuse pattern at 200x, look at iron, thyroid and nutrient status in-house, and support the follicle with a restorative program while your body catches up. If the pattern shows something other than shedding, you will know that in the same visit.
- 01Confirm the pattern at 200x
- 02Find the trigger
- 03Support the follicle while your body catches up
IV Nutrient Therapy
Targeted nutrient support when your labs show what the follicle is missing.
One visit. Real answers.
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No prepOne visitYour time, your pickNo judgmentServing all of Metro Atlanta
- One-on-one scalp health session with a certified trichologist
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- 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.
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We are well-versed in us.
With textured hair, shed hair collects in the style and arrives all at once on wash day, which makes a normal amount look alarming and real shedding look ordinary. We account for wash frequency instead of counting hairs in a sink.
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
Postpartum Hair Loss
The shedding that starts around month three. It is real, and it does end.
Medication Hair Loss
Which medications are associated with shedding, and the right next step.
Hormonal Hair Loss
Four hormones do most of the work. When they move, your hair reports it.
Questions, answered
Honest answers before you commit
How long does telogen effluvium last?
Most episodes settle within three to six months after the trigger resolves. Past six months of active shedding, something is still driving it and that is worth investigating.
Why is it shedding now when nothing is wrong?
The trigger usually happened two to three months earlier. By the time the hair releases, the illness, stress or change that caused it has often passed, which is why it feels random.
Will my density come back?
The follicles are not damaged in telogen effluvium, so once the trigger is resolved most episodes settle and density can return. Results not typical. Individual results will vary.
Is losing 100 hairs a day normal?
Daily counts are hard to read with textured hair, because shed hair collects in the style and arrives all at once on wash day. We account for how often you wash rather than counting hairs in a sink.
Could this be pattern thinning instead?
It can be both. At 200x, shedding leaves the remaining hairs uniform in thickness, while pattern thinning shows mixed thicknesses side by side. We check for both in the same visit.
References
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.