HAIR SHEDDING AND TELOGEN EFFLUVIUM PERTH
Hair shedding often begins months before you notice more hair falling.
The delay can be confusing.
Shedding often appears around two to three months after a trigger.
Telogen effluvium is diffuse shedding that may follow physical or emotional strain. Carmen looks at the timing, pattern, scalp health and wider history so your next step is based on assessment rather than guesswork.
✓ Detailed timeline ✓ Scalp and hair assessment ✓ Blood results reviewed if available
DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?
Shedding often shows up in everyday places first.
✓ More hair than usual in the shower or drain
✓ A fuller brush or more hair in your hands
✓ Your ponytail or overall density feels reduced
✓ Loose hairs collecting on clothing or pillows
✓ Diffuse loss rather than one defined bald patch
✓ Shedding began after a stressful or physical event
Useful timing clue: the event that shifted hairs into the resting phase may have happened months before the shedding became visible.
POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS
Telogen effluvium is a response, not a single cause.
Several factors can overlap, and sometimes no single trigger is obvious. The timeline and wider context help narrow the possibilities.
1
Illness, fever or surgery
Physical strain can shift more hairs into the resting phase, with shedding appearing later.
2
Emotional or physiological stress may contribute to delayed diffuse shedding.
3
Rapid weight change, restrictive diets, low energy intake or nutritional deficiency may affect the hair cycle.
4
Postpartum changes, menopause, thyroid concerns or medication changes can be relevant to the timeline.
5
Starting, stopping or changing medication can sometimes coincide with shedding and should be discussed safely.
6
Itching, scale, redness or tenderness may occur alongside shedding and should be assessed rather than ignored.
SHEDDING OR THINNING?
Related, but not always the same.
Shedding describes hairs being released. Thinning describes reduced visible density. Telogen effluvium can reduce density, but pattern hair loss, hair breakage or another condition may also be present at the same time.
✓ Sudden, diffuse release may suggest a shedding process
✓ Gradual part-line, crown or hairline change may suggest pattern thinning
Why the distinction matters.
✓ It changes what should be investigated
✓ It affects realistic recovery timelines
✓ It prevents one-size-fits-all treatment
✓ It helps decide when medical input is needed
✓ Both processes can overlap and need different next steps
HOW CARMEN ASSESSES SHEDDING
Reconstruct the timeline, then examine the pattern.
1
Map when it began
Shedding onset, earlier events and whether it is improving, stable or worsening.
2
Review the wider context
Health, stress, diet, weight, hormones, medication, supplements and available blood results.
3
Assess scalp and density
Visible pattern, inflammation, follicle openings, hair-shaft variation and trichoscopy where appropriate.
4
Plan realistic next steps
Monitoring, supportive care, testing discussion or medical referral based on the findings.
COMMON QUESTIONS