18F, I have lots of small white hairs with black bottoms falling out - why?

Question

recently I’ve seen small hair falling. It’s thin and white on one side and black on the bottom. looks like breakage I’ve never had white hair before I’m too young. I got diagnsoed with TE and I’ve lost some small thin hairs too, and my TE stopped now after 3 months. Some 1-2 inch hairs are falling too but they’re thick. And, a lot of white hairs on top and black on bottom hairs are falling one had a bulb maybe in the white part but I didn’t see well because it’s lost. Why?

Mehmet Erdogan, MD · Answer

The hair characteristics you’re describing are consistent with normal post–telogen effluvium (TE) cycling changes rather than premature graying.
In TE, a large number of follicles enter the telogen phase simultaneously. Once the shedding phase stabilizes (often around 3 months), follicles gradually re-enter anagen. During this recovery period, it is common to observe:
– Short regrowing hairs (1–2 inches) shedding– Mixed shaft diameters (thin and thick hairs)– Telogen club hairs with a whitish proximal bulb
The “white” portion you’re noticing is most likely either the keratinized telogen bulb or transient proximal depigmentation during early regrowth. Temporary alterations in melanocyte activity can occur after a shedding event and do not necessarily indicate permanent graying.
Continued shedding of some short hairs during the recovery phase is not unusual and does not imply ongoing active TE if overall shedding has decreased.
Hair cycling typically requires 6–9 months to fully normalize following a TE episode.

Ross Kopelman, DO · Answer

It sounds like you're noticing a mix of shedding and regrowth, which can be common after a period of telogen effluvium (TE). The small white hairs with black bottoms that you're seeing are likely telogen hairs. When hair enters the telogen (resting) phase, it can lose pigment and appear thinner or lighter in color before eventually shedding. The black bottom may be the root or bulb, indicating that the hair is being shed from the scalp.
Since TE causes more hair to enter the shedding phase, it’s normal to see a variety of hair types falling out, including shorter regrowing hairs (which can look thinner or white) and longer, thicker hairs. After TE stops, it takes time for hair cycles to return to normal, and some regrowing hairs may fall out as new cycles start. This can look alarming but is usually part of the recovery process.

18F, I have lots of small white hairs with black bottoms falling out - why?

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