Telogen Effluvium: Causes
Telogen effluvium affects men and women of all age groups, but in most cases it is not severe. This type of hair loss occurs when the hair switches abnormally from anagen (growth phase) into telogen (dormant phase) and subsequently sheds several months later.
Telogen effluvium is a common type of hair loss found in women after delivery. The hair loss condition becomes chronic if the shedding lasts more than six months or persistently recurs. In mothers, it is typical for a band like area of occipital hair follicles to enter the first telogen close to the time of birth and for these hairs to shed 2 to 3 months later.
Certain medications can also cause of telogen effluvium. In this case, the patient starts losing hair within two to four months after taking the drug. The drug causes the hair follicles to go to the telogen phase and fall out too early. Typically patients suffering from this type of hair loss shed 100 to 150 hairs a day.
Most common drugs that induce Telogen effluvium include Vitamin A drugs containing retinoids, antibiotic and antifungal drugs, antibiotics and antifungal drugs, antidepressants, birth control pills, epilepsy drugs, drugs that treat high cholesterol and high blood pressure, anti-clotting drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and Parkinson’s disease drugs.
According to recent researches, high level exercise training is one of the main reasons of telogen effluvium. Excessive exercise induces chronic stress conditions which cause the premature hair enter the telogen phase resulting in hair loss.
Heavy exercise in women cause their bodily estrogen level to fall while simultaneously also raising the testosterone level. This condition can also lead to irregular menstrual cycle and brittle bones, according to this Deccan Herald piece. Hair loss in women is thus caused due to sudden shifts in hormone levels especially testosterone.
Dr Manoj Khanna, cosmetic and hair transplant surgeon, Enhance Aesthetic and Cosmetic Studio, was quoted in Metrolife, “Too much of exercise results in early entry of hair into the telogen phase. When the body is subjected to extreme stress unusually high number of hair prematurely enter a phase of rest, called the telogen phase. These hair begin to fall, causing a heavy hair fall.”
According to Dr. Manoj, if anyone is experiencing sleep disorders and fatigue along with abnormal hair loss, they should reduce the frequency of exercise. As the body burns fat and carbohydrates heavily during workout, adequate diet needs to be followed to prevent excessive hair loss.
Experts say exercising more than an hour daily without adequate diet could result in hair loss.
Sandhya Pandey, chief dietitian, Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon, India, says, “Any form of exercise – be it working out, walking, swimming or jogging, for five days a week and about 45 minutes to one hour is enough. Along with that one must consume a proper diet full of vitamins, proteins and minerals. Else it will definitely lead to hair fall.”
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