Acute Versus Chronic Telogen Hair Loss: A Review of the Knowledge and Recent Facts

Abstract

Telogen effluvium (TE) is defined as non-scarring diffuse scalp hair loss, varying from 150 to more than 400 hair falls per day. TE is a very important cosmetic query that cannot be ignored, especially for women. Different kinds of search literature were reviewed, regarding the mechanism of hair shedding, causes, clinical types, the role of diagnostic tools, and potential treatment modalities. The deviations in the follicular cycle period led to telogen hair loss. The disease exists in an acute or chronic state, sometimes associated with trichodynia. Diagnostic evaluations include the hair pull test, the clip test, trichoscopy, the modified wash test, and less frequent histopathological studies. Almost all cases of acute disorders can be cured by eliminating the identified causative factors. As a result, for most of them, no exact therapy is necessary. The chronic form is considered a challenging treatment goal for physicians, and many modes of treatment for telogen effluvium have been used with different benefits. Newly approved causes include post-hair transplantation, vitamin D deficiency, and coronavirus disease-19. Until now, limited treatment choices with variable benefits have been offered. This narrative review article evaluates the acute and chronic presentation, available investigations, and treatment options for telogen hair loss.

Keywords

• hair loss
• telogen effluvium
• alopecia
• follicular cycle