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View Full Version : Telogen Effluvium, Help!!!



jnnfrch
December 6th, 2013, 03:27 PM
I already have a little thread (called Help hair loss!) here, and thank you SO much to those who have replied/shared their advice and stories, I'm really super grateful to all of you :) but I wanted to start this one, now that I know what I've been diagnosed with!

Has anybody else suffered with Telogen Effluvium?? (I'm going to shorten it to Telo) I feel like I'm at the beginning of this big unknown journey with my hair and I guess it'd just be reassuring to hear from other people who are or have been in my situation, because its so easy to panic about hair loss at my age (I'm 23) and I'd really like to know if I can get back to beautiful, full hair from this :(! Aside from that, I'd love to create this little space for all of us to share our ideas/stories/tips about Telo and help each other out.

Thanks so much guys

Jennifer

Hairheart
December 6th, 2013, 07:19 PM
Hi and I'm sorry you have to go through this horrible experience. I know, it's aweful. I've had TE myself several times throughout the years. The first one when I quit BC after 5 years of use. And after every childbirth, some medications and so on. I'm just recovering from a terrible shed that started last June, I'm amazed I'm not bald!

It's hard to see and feel all that hair just falling everywhere and to clean out the shower drain with massive clumps of hair after each hair wash. But, all in all, baldness usually never happens with TE and almost everyone recovers. When a hair falls, it's because a new hair has started to grow in the follicle and it pushes out the dormant one. So in a sense, it's a positive sign. Even though it feels far from it.

Did you feel tingles in your scalp right before your HL started? Did you have something happen to you around 2-3 months ago? Do you have horizontal lines/ridges about halfway through your fingernails? ( Beaus Lines) Nails responds to "trauma" to the body/mind in the same manner as hair. And a nail takes about 5 months to grow out ( thumbnail) so the middle is about 2,5 months.

I wish you strength to go through this, it will soon be over! Baby your locks for now. :)

ravenheather
December 7th, 2013, 08:17 AM
I was shedding a lot last summer. I got a lot better after starting neelibhringadi oil overnight every other day and washed out in the morning. Choose an organic one. Some of them contain antimony.

rainfortheend
December 7th, 2013, 02:17 PM
I've been there. I took Accutane which left me with telogen effluvium.

Here are some things that have helped me:

- Get bloodwork done. That might be able to help you isolate the problem. For me, the problem was high levels of DHEAs, which led to a diagnosis of PCOS. I eat low oxalate and avoid certain supplements to help keep my DHEAs in a healthy range.

- Don't overload on supplements. I did a lot of research, tried a lot of things, and to be honest, they made it worse. I got intense insomnia and anxiety on top of my hair loss... Keep it simple.

- Avoid things that could mess with your hormones. Too much sugar, carbs without protein to balance it out, alcohol, caffeine, and even hormones from dairy (yes, there are even natural hormones in the "hormone-free" kind...) could add to the gravity of your hair loss. It's a tough transition, since I used to live on mac n' cheese! I will, however, allow myself one "cheat" meal per week so I don't feel deprived, but after eating it, I always feel like crap physiologically.

- Make sure you eat a balanced diet. Eat protein, but too much protein can overload your kidneys. Eat a moderate amount of carbs, but too few carbs can put you in ketosis and cause hair loss. Eating too little and eating too much can both put a lot of strain on your system. Everything has to be done in moderation. A typical meal for me is rice with eggs, onions, and broccoli.

- Certain foods can be your best allies. Look for foods containing sulfur, which is an important part of your hair, skin, and nail development. This is why I eat a lot of eggs, broccoli, and onions.

- In the morning, I drink vitamin C mix with a shot of organic ACV, and I also take a sublingual B complex. I have a multivitamin (Alive Women's Energy) with lunch. That's it for me and supplements. That's all I need.

- Scalp massages can make you shed more at first... that's scary! But what it's really doing is loosening all the trapped hairs you've already shed. Scalp massages can help remove buildup, which can clog up the hair follicles and cause shedding. It also stimulates bloodflow to the scalp, which will help to stimulate growth. Use your fingertips to move the scalp around... don't tug or pull on any individual hairs.

- A lot of people swear by using oils on the scalp or COwashing, but I've found it makes me shed more. Basically, what it does is soften up the root of the follicle, which gives it a looser hold and lets it fall out more easily.

- It's contrary to most of the advice given on this site, but wearing your hair up a lot can weaken your already weak follicles and cause traction alopecia. If you want protective styles, go for braids or topknots, since they put the least amount of strain on your follicles.

- Brushes and combs can put strain on your roots. I finger detangle. Cutting out the tangles (only a few strands at a time) will help less tangles to appear-- usually it's the same rogue strands that cause problems over time. There's a thread about this.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

jnnfrch
December 10th, 2013, 03:45 PM
I've been there. I took Accutane which left me with telogen effluvium.

Here are some things that have helped me:

- Get bloodwork done. That might be able to help you isolate the problem. For me, the problem was high levels of DHEAs, which led to a diagnosis of PCOS. I eat low oxalate and avoid certain supplements to help keep my DHEAs in a healthy range.

- Don't overload on supplements. I did a lot of research, tried a lot of things, and to be honest, they made it worse. I got intense insomnia and anxiety on top of my hair loss... Keep it simple.

- Avoid things that could mess with your hormones. Too much sugar, carbs without protein to balance it out, alcohol, caffeine, and even hormones from dairy (yes, there are even natural hormones in the "hormone-free" kind...) could add to the gravity of your hair loss. It's a tough transition, since I used to live on mac n' cheese! I will, however, allow myself one "cheat" meal per week so I don't feel deprived, but after eating it, I always feel like crap physiologically.

- Make sure you eat a balanced diet. Eat protein, but too much protein can overload your kidneys. Eat a moderate amount of carbs, but too few carbs can put you in ketosis and cause hair loss. Eating too little and eating too much can both put a lot of strain on your system. Everything has to be done in moderation. A typical meal for me is rice with eggs, onions, and broccoli.

- Certain foods can be your best allies. Look for foods containing sulfur, which is an important part of your hair, skin, and nail development. This is why I eat a lot of eggs, broccoli, and onions.

- In the morning, I drink vitamin C mix with a shot of organic ACV, and I also take a sublingual B complex. I have a multivitamin (Alive Women's Energy) with lunch. That's it for me and supplements. That's all I need.

- Scalp massages can make you shed more at first... that's scary! But what it's really doing is loosening all the trapped hairs you've already shed. Scalp massages can help remove buildup, which can clog up the hair follicles and cause shedding. It also stimulates bloodflow to the scalp, which will help to stimulate growth. Use your fingertips to move the scalp around... don't tug or pull on any individual hairs.

- A lot of people swear by using oils on the scalp or COwashing, but I've found it makes me shed more. Basically, what it does is soften up the root of the follicle, which gives it a looser hold and lets it fall out more easily.

- It's contrary to most of the advice given on this site, but wearing your hair up a lot can weaken your already weak follicles and cause traction alopecia. If you want protective styles, go for braids or topknots, since they put the least amount of strain on your follicles.

- Brushes and combs can put strain on your roots. I finger detangle. Cutting out the tangles (only a few strands at a time) will help less tangles to appear-- usually it's the same rogue strands that cause problems over time. There's a thread about this.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

Wow, thank you for just taking the time to just type all this out!

There's some really good points you mention, I've never thought about sulphur but that's an easy one definitely worth trying, especially as I love broccoli (and onions and eggs)

I had my bloods done nearly a month ago I think now, and nothing except a slight deficiency in Vit D and my doctor said that although my iron levels are completely normal, it would'nt hurt to up them a little. I'm due to go back and see her around christmas as I've been taking Vit D and iron tablets, and have my bloods redone

You drink the ACV?? I've heard about actually using it on the hair but not ingesting, that's interesting!

I've been I could do with upping my vit B, omega 3 and zinc so that's interesting what you said about the supplements, what ones did you try and not like? Have you tried Biotin?

Also can I ask how your hair has responded to your changes? Has it grown back and if so, to the fullness it used to be??

Thanks so much for your post, really really helpful :)

jnnfrch
December 10th, 2013, 03:47 PM
I was shedding a lot last summer. I got a lot better after starting neelibhringadi oil overnight every other day and washed out in the morning. Choose an organic one. Some of them contain antimony.

Thanks for your reply :) I'll have to look that one up! I've been trying neem oil, as my scalp seemed a little irritated and I didnt want to use harsh chemicals/medicines on it. Thanks for the tip on the antimony too!

jnnfrch
December 10th, 2013, 03:52 PM
Hi and I'm sorry you have to go through this horrible experience. I know, it's aweful. I've had TE myself several times throughout the years. The first one when I quit BC after 5 years of use. And after every childbirth, some medications and so on. I'm just recovering from a terrible shed that started last June, I'm amazed I'm not bald!

It's hard to see and feel all that hair just falling everywhere and to clean out the shower drain with massive clumps of hair after each hair wash. But, all in all, baldness usually never happens with TE and almost everyone recovers. When a hair falls, it's because a new hair has started to grow in the follicle and it pushes out the dormant one. So in a sense, it's a positive sign. Even though it feels far from it.

Did you feel tingles in your scalp right before your HL started? Did you have something happen to you around 2-3 months ago? Do you have horizontal lines/ridges about halfway through your fingernails? ( Beaus Lines) Nails responds to "trauma" to the body/mind in the same manner as hair. And a nail takes about 5 months to grow out ( thumbnail) so the middle is about 2,5 months.

I wish you strength to go through this, it will soon be over! Baby your locks for now. :)

Thanks so much for your encouragement :)

I can't see the Beaus lines on my nails but I graduated uni a few months ago and had my finals right before that so I think major stress was a big factor! Also I dieted for my graduation day by juicing and although I took supplements and was careful about getting the right nutrients, maybe my hair freaked out at the lack of protein etc? :/ I also have depression and anxiety problems so stress is a pretty big factor in my life, I need to work on getting that under control.....

It's really reassuring to know that it can get better! I'm going to try and be really good about foods/taking care of it and hope and pray!

rainfortheend
December 11th, 2013, 02:28 PM
The thing about Vitamin D and iron supplements is that they are generated synthetically, which might make them not absorb into your system as well. Also, it's easy to overdose, and trust me-- overdose is never a good thing! A multivitamin should give you all you need and save you money! It's better to go for more bioavailable sources of D and Iron, such as meats and eggs.

Yeah, I drink the ACV. It's a great liver detoxifier, which helps me with my acne as well. Only a shot of it-- and I mix it in with my Vitamin C drink so I don't taste it.

Oh wow, I've tried a lot of supplements. Biotin gave me horrible acne (why? It throws the balance of all the B vitamins out of whack; for this reason, I take a B complex instead.) MSM only made the problem worse and gave me anxiety and insomnia (it upped my DHEAs, which might not be a problem for you, but yeah...) Let's see, there was ginkgo biloba (made it worse), zinc, fish oil, evening primrose oil (made it worse), taurine, amino acids, artichoke, milk thistle, magnesium (threw my digestive system out of whack), melatonin, probiotics. Not all at the same time-- some were at the same time, but this was a period of 2 and a half years. But I've tried a lot of things.

My hair has responded to changes very well. I'm finding a lot of regrowth from a massive shed I had in September-October; the trying-to-eat-more-sulfur-and-avoid-dairy thing, as well as the scalp massages, I started about a month ago.

Oh! I forgot to mention how I wash my hair. With very diluted SLS-free baby shampoo: just a tiny squirt, less than a teaspoon in 1.5 oz vinegar mixed with 4.5 oz water. I have hard water, and so the vinegar helps it get closer to the hair's natural pH. I do not massage my scalp when it's wet since that's when it's the most fragile-- the shampoo will cleanse on its own, and you use scalp massage hours and hours before to get the buildup off. (I don't scalp massage within at least 4 hours of washing my hair so my follicles can rest. I scalp massage at night and shower in the morning.)

Contrary to what you've heard, stretching washes a lot may not be the best thing. If your scalp is used to being washed, it will pump out even more oils when it's unwashed and you'll have even more buildup. And when there's a lot of buildup on your scalp, the follicles get clogged, making more hair fall out and preventing it from growing. I tried to stretch washes to 3-4 days about two years ago and my shedding worsened, mainly because I was afraid of manipulating my hair.

If you've got hair loss, I'd say the best washing schedule would be every other day. Just enough to remove buildup, but not so much that your scalp gets dried out. Homemade dry shampoo is wonderful if you're a greaseball like me. (I mix arrowroot powder, cocoa powder, and activated charcoal to get a shade close to my hair color.) You can also use this powder as a root lifter and texturizer to give your hair some much-needed volume... the ingredients are safe and won't damage your hair.

Have you heard of the greenhouse method for growth? Humidity and warm climates help to grow hair better. I've got a humidifier and a satin sleep cap to protect my hair and trap in heat.

Keep in mind that there are so many different causes of hair loss, and there are so many different ways to cure it. One size definitely does not fit all, but I'm sharing what has worked for me. You've got to figure out the pieces to your own puzzle; it's so complicated.

HTH!

jnnfrch
January 15th, 2014, 09:19 AM
UPDATE

Thanks for your messages, this is a little update, I was seeing improvements in the amount of shedding until recently. It's about 3 months since the last BIG shed so I'm guessing its something to do with the natural hair lifecycle, still, I'm getting really depressed about it now. I'm not actually sure if anything at all is growing back :/

On the plus, I've changed my diet and am eating a lot more wholefoods, fruit and veg, lean protein (and thanks for the tip about eggs/broccoli/onion/garlic, I love them all so they're really easy to get into my diet)

My doctor used to work on Harley Street in London with hair and she's given me some good tips. My bloodwork showed that although my iron is in the "normal range", she says its wayyy under in terms of hair. She also said to check out the TRX2 supplement, I looked and its just BCAA's, potassium chloride, zinc, biotin, L-carnitine and selenium. I think everything except the BCAA's are in my multivitamin that I take (B-complex orientated).

I've been having a good think about what caused it and I think it's predominantly a couple of years of intense stress, triggered by the juicing I did for graduation. The diet is more or less on track now, so just gotta combat the stress...

Thanks for all the support guys!

jnnfrch
January 15th, 2014, 09:20 AM
UPDATE

Thanks for your messages, this is a little update, I was seeing improvements in the amount of shedding until recently. It's about 3 months since the last BIG shed so I'm guessing its something to do with the natural hair lifecycle, still, I'm getting really depressed about it now. I'm not actually sure if anything at all is growing back :/

On the plus, I've changed my diet and am eating a lot more wholefoods, fruit and veg, lean protein (and thanks for the tip about eggs/broccoli/onion/garlic, I love them all so they're really easy to get into my diet)

My doctor used to work on Harley Street in London with hair and she's given me some good tips. My bloodwork showed that although my iron is in the "normal range", she says its wayyy under in terms of hair. She also said to check out the TRX2 supplement, I looked and its just BCAA's, potassium chloride, zinc, biotin, L-carnitine and selenium. I think everything except the BCAA's are in my multivitamin that I take (B-complex orientated).

I've been having a good think about what caused it and I think it's predominantly a couple of years of intense stress, triggered by the juicing I did for graduation. The diet is more or less on track now, so just gotta combat the stress...

Thanks for all the support guys!

~*~Aspen~*~
January 15th, 2014, 09:48 AM
Lots of great advice on this thread..



I've been there my dear. It is no fun, even bought non thinning systems.. try to go easier on yourself, please? ;)

Get the protein. and drink camomile,mint teas, take your iron pills and watch your pushing yourself too much if possible.-

Also, maybe put a little yogurt, veggie chips, in your diet too!

Redshirt
July 7th, 2014, 03:12 PM
I've been there. I took Accutane which left me with telogen effluvium.

!

Not to revive a long dead thread...but...I just wanted to thank you for this! I am in the exact same boat and it is so comforting to know your not the only one, which is of course the first thing you think when you notice hair loss! Would love to hear some updates on everyone!

mblant01
October 22nd, 2014, 09:57 AM
I am also suffering with TE and it is so scary! I'm very anxious about it and am praying that the hair loss will lessen soon as my hair is already thin to begin with. It started in September and doesn't seem to be slowing down.. I'm taking iron, going to have my level rechecked today as it was down to 13 when it was checked in Sept - thyroid levels are fine. I'm so glad to have found this forum as I've felt really alone. When I mentioned how I have a sense of dread in the pit of my stomach watching all this hair fall out, one dr said something to the effect of "well it isn't cancer"... Yes, I know this isn't a deadly disease thank you very much but as a woman it still is terrifying! Appreciate you all sharing your stories

lapushka
October 22nd, 2014, 10:05 AM
Well if your iron is low... no wonder, doesn't mean it's TE.