HomeAnswersDermatologyhair lossMy hair is thinning and brittle. Is that telogen effluvium?

Can telogen effluvium cause hair thinning, brittle hair, and changes in hair color and texture in a 25-year-old male?

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The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

Medically reviewed by

Dr. K. Shobana

Published At October 2, 2022
Reviewed AtOctober 12, 2023

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

I am a 25-year-old male, and I first noticed my hair going through rapid changes in the past five years. The color and texture of my hair changed rapidly from dark brown to golden blonde (mainly on the front part of the scalp). As a result, my hair turned brittle and dry and began to thin out in the front part of the scalp. However, I notice hair growths, but they occur slowly in one area. I do not take any medications, and this condition worsened after the start of the pandemic. I have never experienced excessive hair loss or hair fall in the past. So, I believe this results from long-term periods of stress and wanted to confirm that it may be a case of telogen effluvium. Please give your suggestions.

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Hair thinning and lightening can be multifactorial. One of the factors, as you rightly mentioned, is stress. Apart from that, there are multiple factors, including dietary changes, hormonal imbalances, underlying medication conditions, vitamin deficiencies, climate changes, and a history of infection or surgery. Telogen effluvium occurs as a result of these factors. Since you have had long-term stressful events, it may be telogen effluvium. It appears with thinning of hair after a stressful event, and it may be acute or chronic, where it can be constant for years. Fortunately, most hair loss or thinning that occur due to the same are reversible and usually do not require any treatment. However, you may need to undergo a few blood tests to rule out the underlying conditions and deficiencies. So kindly get tested for CBC (complete blood count), Hb (hemoglobin), serum ferritin, serum iron, serum zinc, serum copper, vitamin D3, vitamin B12, TFT (thyroid function test), and DHEAS (dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate). If there are any changes in these parameters, the appropriate medication will be advised for promoting hair growth, increasing hair density, and reversing the color and texture of hair. The other treatment modalities include PRP (Platelet-rich plasma) or mesotherapy, in which platelet-rich plasma is extracted from 10 to 12 ml of your blood, and vitamin solution is injected into your scalp at areas of hair thinning. The platelets in the PRP and vitamins in mesotherapy act as growth factors for stimulating your hair follicles to grow and become dense. When combined, both procedures are executed at an interval of 15 days for six months. PRF (Platelet-rich fibrin), biotin PRP and laser treatment are other procedures that promote hair growth by stimulating hair follicles. For these procedures, in-person consultation with a dermatologist is advised. In addition, if not treated, telogen effluvium may become chronic, causing poor hair growth compared to acute telogen effluvium; therefore, these procedures are advised in that case. There are topical solutions like a combination of Minoxidil (antihypertensive vasodilator) and Finasteride (5-alpha reductase inhibitors) 5 % solution, which may be applied in 1 ml quantity at night daily on the area of scalp visibility to promote hair growth, this increases blood flow to the hair roots. However, it is advised to be used for several years and should only be tapered. For example, the solution should be applied once daily for one year, then once daily for six days per week for the second year, once daily for five days per week for the next year, and so on. Stopping this solution abruptly can cut off the blood flow to the hair roots and cause the newly grown hair to fall. Minoxidil is not advised in case of allergies, migraines, underlying medical conditions, etc. Stress management should also be considered for faster recovery from telogen effluvium. Restoring pigmentation, texture, and growth may be time-consuming but requires consistency and patience for results to show. Kindly follow up with the reports for further assessment and treatment. I hope this has helped you out. Take care.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Sandhya Narayanan Kutty
Dr. Sandhya Narayanan Kutty

Venereology

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