How common is hair loss in telogen effluvium?

Telogen effluvium happens when more hairs than usual shift into a resting phase and later shed. People may notice extra hair on a pillow, in a shower drain, or on a brush, with reduced fullness across the scalp. The shedding can become noticeable after a physical or emotional stress, illness, operation, major dietary change, or another trigger. The timing of the trigger and the distribution of thinning help a clinician distinguish this pattern from other causes. The scalp usually looks normal, without heavy scale or sores.

Book an assessment when shedding is persistent, distressing, or accompanied by other changes. Bring a timeline of when the shedding began and mention recent illness, stress, weight change, new medicines, or menstrual changes. Gentle washing and brushing are reasonable; avoiding normal hair care does not stop the underlying cycle. Eat regularly, avoid crash diets, and do not start supplements or stop prescribed medicine without advice. Treatment focuses on identifying and addressing a trigger when one is found.

Seek prompt medical review if hair loss forms sharply defined patches, affects the eyebrows or eyelashes, causes scalp pain or inflammation, or comes with fatigue, weakness, skin changes, or other new symptoms. Rapidly worsening loss also deserves assessment. These features may point to a different or additional condition rather than uncomplicated telogen effluvium. A clinician can decide whether examination or blood tests are appropriate for the pattern and your health history.

Ask what event may have preceded the shedding, whether the pattern fits telogen effluvium, and what signs would suggest another form of hair loss. Discuss any medicine or supplement changes, whether testing is appropriate, and how to monitor scalp coverage without checking obsessively each day.