# Telogen Effluvium (hair loss)- Anyone?



## lovestruckout (Jul 6, 2011)

After my wife blew up our lives with her affairs that I (finally) exposed in May, things have improved. I feel great and I am prepared to move on without her if we can't figure out R...however it's quite possible I find it in me to perhaps not forgive her, but accept her past and look to the future with a healthier relationship. It's getting better everyday for me - time does help in my case, no doubt.

I'm in my mid-30s and have never really had to worry about hair loss, fortunately. However, I'm certainly noticing hair in my hands when showering and when I 'shake' my hair out over the sink (I suppose this is just an obsessive maneuver I've been doing).

I'm hoping perhaps this is related to the condition Telogen Effluvium, where extreme stress can force the hair follicles into an early resting phase...and typically you begin to notice accelerated hair loss after you are already recovering from the stress, as it takes some months for the process to cycle through. In six months or so you are supposed to be relatively back to normal.

Can anyone else relate to this?


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## Haley (Apr 22, 2011)

Yes, I can relate!!!!!

Over the years I've had this problem, and now I'm having it big time.

I have serious marital problems which cause a high level of constant stress. But back in the spring I had problems with my mom. (Everyone that I've told her story to tells me that we should be on Jerry Springer) A couple of months after dealing with her, my hair started coming out in handfuls. Then my dad died in August. Then my autistic child had trouble in Sept. 

So, my hair is really thin right now, but if the cycle holds true, I may be bald by Christmas. I'm very serious!

I've been taking Biotin, which is a vitamin supplement that's supposed to help with hair growth. Can't really tell if it's working.


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## Pit-of-my-stomach (Nov 2, 2010)

very similar problems, very similiar treatments...

MPD- Male Pattern Baldness. 

Choices: 

1. Pay tons of money and constantly obsess over whether its falling out or not. Spend enough money, time and energy and you will likely prolong how long you have it. But, your losing your hair either way. Accept that. Move on.

2. Cut your hair off, forget about it. Buy lots of hats. 


FPB - Female Pattern Betrayer

Choices: 

1. Pay tons of money and constantly obsess over whether she's fu*king around or not. Spend enough money, time and energy and you will likely prolong how long you have her. But, your losing your wife either way. Accept that. Move on.

2. Cut your wife off, forget about her. Buy lots of hookers. 

lol.


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## Lon (Jun 6, 2011)

Well for the past few years I was feeling lots of stress, and not getting much sleep, and my hairline is now pretty much invisible from the front. I don't know how much of it is just genetics, but I don't expect it to ever come back even though I'm sleeping much more now and less stressed out. Some guys can pull off the bald head look, I can't - I'm a pretty good looking guy but once the hair receded it added at least a decade to my appearance  Apparently looks are less of a factor for men but try convincing my self-esteem that. Anyways, my new approach is to bulk up with as much muscle mass as I can and make the rest of me catch up to the tough-guy look my scalp decided to go for.


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## TimeHeals (Sep 26, 2011)

lovestruckout said:


> However, I'm certainly noticing hair in my hands when showering and when I 'shake' my hair out over the sink (I suppose this is just an obsessive maneuver I've been doing).
> 
> I'm hoping perhaps this is related to the condition Telogen Effluvium, where extreme stress can force the hair follicles into an early resting phase...and typically you begin to notice accelerated hair loss after you are already recovering from the stress, as it takes some months for the process to cycle through. In six months or so you are supposed to be relatively back to normal.
> 
> Can anyone else relate to this?


It might also be Alopecia Areata (which is an auto-immune disorder). Go see a dermatologist.


AA happened to me in 2004, and I looked like I went through chemo for about 6 months  Things were fine after that, but I wore a lot of hats in 2004 

TE happens when you do extreme dieting or get poisoned or something. 

Been doing anything to interrupt your anagen growth phase some months back? Were you a recent prisoner of some place like Dachau?

If not, it may be Alopecia. Go see a doc.


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## lovestruckout (Jul 6, 2011)

TimeHeals said:


> TE happens when you do extreme dieting or get poisoned or something.
> 
> Been doing anything to interrupt your anagen growth phase some months back? Were you a recent prisoner of some place like Dachau?


Extreme dieting, like [fasting] losing 15 pounds when you are already a very thin person because you have zero appetite from the pain of your WW's multiple affairs? The weight has come back somewhat, but I was an anxious disaster at the onset...for a few months at least.

Oh and we're not talking extreme loss as you describe. I'm familiar with the disorder you describe, I think it's either just aging and becoming more aware of it, or perhaps some of the fallout (no pun intended) from my PDS at D-Day.


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## TimeHeals (Sep 26, 2011)

lovestruckout said:


> Extreme dieting, like [fasting] losing 15 pounds when you are already a very thin person because you have zero appetite from the pain of your WW's multiple affairs? The weight has come back somewhat, but I was an anxious disaster at the onset...for a few months at least.
> 
> Oh and we're not talking extreme loss as you describe. I'm familiar with the disorder you describe, I think it's either just aging and becoming more aware of it, or perhaps some of the fallout (no pun intended) from my PDS at D-Day.


Maybe, maybe not. I dunno. If you are curious, though, go to a dermatologist.

When I had alopecia areata it took about 6 months to lose about 80% of my hair (and it wasn't pretty or even or anything--spotty chemo patient looking ).

My hair seemed to be thining, and I was thinking that was great until my hair stylist said I had a bald spot on the side of my head.

Then everyday gobs of hair in the sink and shower.

I say I looked like a chemo patient, but chemo patients really have effluvium (they are poisoned, after all) because their anagen phase hair growth stopped, so when the older hair reaches the telogen phase, there's nothing left after a while.


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