Telogen Effluvium Treatment Tips from Experts

Telogen effluvium is a condition where hair stops growing and eventually falls out but there are ways to manage it. The effectiveness of the treatment of telogen effluvium depends on what is causing it, so each method will be most effective when related to the cause. Here are four telogen effluvium treatment tips from experts.

Switching Medications

“Many medications can actually cause this condition,” Aaron Emmel, PharmD, and a pharmacotherapy specialist, tells ishonest Connect to Care. “Examples include some anticoagulants, blood pressure medication, oral contraceptives, medicine that reduce skin wrinkles, and anti-seizure medications.”

If you are taking any of these medications, talk to your doctor about your hair loss and they may offer alternatives.

Supplements

One potential cause for telogen effluvium is a lack of vitamins necessary for hair growth. “Examples of deficiencies include iron, zinc, vitamin D. In these cases, supplementation and improvement in diet can be effective,” Emmel says. Eating foods such as fish for vitamin D and eggs for biotin may be beneficial in the treatment of telogen effluvium.

Minoxidil

“Five percent minoxidil used twice daily for men or once daily for women can be effective at slowing the length of time telogen effluvium is impacting an individual,” William Gaunitz, certified trichologist and a member of the World Trichology Society tells ishonest Connect to Care. “Because minoxidil is clinically proven to increase microcirculation to the hair follicle, it seems to encourage the hair to shift back into the anagen phase of growth [where the hair is actively growing] faster to increase the speed of recovery. Withe, hair regrowth should return to normal within 12 months,” Gaunitz says.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)

According to Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), plasma is the liquid part of blood, and platelets are the blood cells that cause blood clots and other healing functions.

“When done properly, utilizing a five-times platelet concentration or higher and injecting it into the fat layer of the scalp, [platelet-rich plasma] has shown to slow down hair shedding associated with telogen effluvium and fuel a much faster hair growth recovery," Gaunitz says. "PRP injections may stop telogen effluvium within four to six weeks but will need to be re-performed at week six and then again at week 12 to continue the momentum of stabilizing the prevention of hair shedding. Then, one more maintenance session may be needed around month nine for a full recovery.”

Don’t Wait. Get Help Today.

The sooner you address the symptoms of hair loss, the more likely you are to prevent irreversible damage. Speak to a medical professional today to begin your journey to a fuller head of hair.

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