Will my telogen effluvium ever stop?

Question

I've been suffering from hair loss for the past 3 years. I'm in my late 20's with no family history of hair loss. I have been receiving intramural injections of kenalog every month to stimulate hair growth along with rogaine. There is no identifiable stressor and all labs are normal. They tell me it's telogen effluvium with minor female pattern hair loss. Is there anything else or will I live like this forever. The hair falls out daily and is not even 50% of what it was 3 years ago.

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

You need an examination and a diagnosis before considering treatment options.  It may take up to one year before your hair recovers from telogen effulvium.  Injections to the scalp do not usually help grow hair.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

Thinning Hair -- Rogaine, Propecia, Viviscal, Progesterone, PRPIf you have thinning hair you really need an evaluation to see if it is genetic or from another cause like stress or autoimmune.  If it is determined to be genetic there are many options and traditional treatments like rogaine foam and propecia pills can be used.  I have great success in my practice using injectable progesterone and prp to the scalp.  Postmenopausal women also benefit from spironolactone.  I suggest seeing a dermatologist with expertise in hair loss.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Ryan Welter, MD · Answer

Generally Telogen Effluvium lasts for only a few months and then the hair cycle resumes its normal course and the hair thickens again.  If your hair loss is progressive then you may have an early female pattern loss or another disorder.  Progressive hair loss can be difficult to treat if you don't prevent early.  It sounds like you have had some lab work done, but I find that many females who present to me have only had a few labs done and not a complete work up.  It is probably recommended that you continue romaine, but you may also be a candidate for PRP (platelet rich plasma) which can stimulate hair growth.  We have great results particularly with our female patients with PRP for many types of hair loss.

Jeff Donovan, MD, PhD · Answer

Without seeing your scalp up close, I can't confirm if these are the 2 diagnoses you have but a few comments may offer some benefit. Telogen effluvium (or "TE") is a form of hair shedding that happens more commonly in women than men. There are many many causes of TE including stress, thyroid problems, nutrition issues, crash diets. Some women develop TE without a clear cause. Treatment involves trying to identify the trigger and fix it. It's normal to lose 50-70 hairs per day, so cessation of shedding is not the goal. However a reduction in shedding is. All women with TE need a complete medical history to be obtained and need a full scalp examination and a number of blood tests. What exactly are the tests to order? Well that depends on all the information uncovered during the individual's medical history.  For TE that does not seem to have a clear cut cause, I always recommend a full physical examination be done by the primary care physician.A biopsy isn't usually helpful but the final decision not that can only come about by examination of the scalp up close. A hair collection and various modified hair wash tests to follow shedding sometimes can prove helpful as to how much shedding someone has compared to how much genetic hair loss someone has.  Sometimes we can't figure out the cause of a person's TE. Treatments such as minoxidil, low level laser, biotin, lysine, PRP are used in attempt to stimulate some hair growth. TE is a non inflammatory condition so treatments such as steroid injections are not typically done and rarely can worsen a TE. A diagnosis of TE is not followed by a one time visit. If a person has a TE, it needs to be followed carefully over time to ensure that it gets better and if it doesn't to evaluate clues to the cause of that person's shedding.  Young women don't typically develop chronic form of shedding (chronic telogen effluvium) but in rare instances it can happen.

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

This is real challenging problem you report. Most of these condition resolve on their own and there is no treatment for it.  I imagine from your question that you already had the diagnosis made by a doctor, so ask that doctor what he or she thinks your future hair loss situation will be.

Will my telogen effluvium ever stop?

Answers (5)

More Hair Loss Treatment Questions

Are there treatments for naturally thin hairlines?

I recently shifted to a new place and have been facing severe hair fall problem ever since. Any suggestions?

Can Lactulose cause hair loss?

Is there any connection between topicals and health?

Can I use Minoxidil again after I used it before?

Will my hair grow back after an accident that caused a deep gash on my scalp? (Photo)

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS