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Excessive hair loss may almost always be traced to abrupt
or significant long-term changes in a person’s health
or external environment. Telogen effluvium and anagen effluvium
are forms of loss caused by such changes.
Telogen effluvium is defined as diffuse
hair loss occurring suddenly and caused by any of several
types of physical trauma. ( Telogen refers to the resting phase
of the hair life cycle;
effluvium is Latin for “to flow out”. ) A time-lapse
of two to three months is often observed between the onset
of trauma and noticeable hairfall.
Some of the causes of telogen effluvium are:
- Rapid weight loss, often caused by extreme diets
- Surgery, particularly involving significant blood loss
- Hormonal changes after childbirth
- Fever, particularly above 100.5’F
- Severe vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Severe emotional trauma
- Stopping or starting oral contraceptives
- Starting a new prescription drug
- Ultraviolet ( UV ) radiation.
Fortunately, telogen effluvium is usually transient and usually
self-correcting within less than one year. Because hair and
nail growth are susceptible to the same physiological influences,
a groove may appear across the nails that coincides with the
systemic shock causing telogen effluvium.
Anagen effluvium, also called “toxic
alopecia,” also has a wide range of possible causes.
It is primarily associated with ingestion of toxic substances
( or non-toxic substances in unusually high quantities ) and
exposure to ionizing radiation. It may also be caused by:
- Various types of defective hormone production including
thyroid gland defects ( overproduction or underproduction
of thyroid hormone ), hypopituitary syndromes and Cushing’s
Syndrome
- Extreme dietary deficiencies of trace elements and other
nutrients, including copper, zinc, iron, Vitamin C and essential
fatty acids
- Chemotherapy agents that affect cell division and growth,
including doxorubicin,
the nitrosoureas, cyclophosphamide,
dactinomycin,
bleomycin,
daunorubicin,
fluorouracil
and methotrexate
- Other drug treatments, including bismuth,
colchicine,
cyclosporine
and levodopa·
Exposure to ionizing radiation ( gamma rays and X-rays )
- Toxic chemicals, such as arsenic, boron, lead, thallium
and high doses of vitamin A.
Like telogen effluvium, anagen effluvium is often self-correcting
within a few months. If the hair loss was caused by anti-cancer
agents or radiation therapy, the hair that regrows may have
a changed texture or thickness.
Internet Resources
Telogen
effluvium ( eMedicine )
Telogen
effliuvium ( InteliHealth )
Telogen
effluvium after pregnancy
Telogen
effluvium Hair Loss ( American Osteopathic College of Dermatology )
Anagen
effluvium ( eMedicine )
Anagen
effluvium
Article:
How Do I Deal With Losing My Hair? ( American Cancer Society )
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