TELOGEN EFFLUVIUM

Course overview

TELOGEN EFFLUVIUM IS A FORM OF NONSCARRING ALOPECIA CHARACTERIZED BY DIFFUSE, OFTEN ACUTE HAIR SHEDDING. TELOGEN EFFLUVIUM IS A REACTIVE PROCESS, TRIGGERED BY METABOLIC STRESS, HORMONAL CHANGES, OR MEDICATIONS. COMMON TRIGGERING EVENTS ARE ACUTE FEBRILE ILLNESS, SEVERE INFECTION, MAJOR SURGERY, SEVERE TRAUMA, POSTPARTUM HORMONAL CHANGES, PARTICULARLY A DECREASE IN ESTROGEN, HYPOTHYROIDISM, DISCONTINUING ESTROGEN-CONTAINING MEDICATION, CRASH DIETING, LOW PROTEIN INTAKE, HEAVY METAL INGESTION, AND IRON DEFICIENCY. MANY MEDICATIONS HAVE BEEN LINKED TO TELOGEN EFFLUVIUM, BUT THE MOST COMMON ARE BETA-BLOCKERS, RETINOIDS, INCLUDING EXCESS VITAMIN A, ANTICOAGULANTS, PROPYLTHIOURACIL, CARBAMAZEPINE, AND IMMUNIZATIONS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS TELOGEN EFFLUVIUM AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE RECOGNITION AND MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS AFFECTED BY IT.