Although it predominantly affects women, men can also suffer from telogen effluvium. As with women, this is considered dermatologically benign because it does not always cause thinning. Furthermore, it is a temporary phenomenon that does not affect the hair follicles in the long term. As for women, telogen effluvium without thinning in men is therefore not synonymous with baldness.
Psychologically, however, it can cause anxiety in some patients, especially for those who already suffer from alopecia or androgenetic alopecia.
After confirming the diagnosis, cosmetic solutions and therapeutic treatment may be prescribed by the dermatologist. The expected results are a normalization of hair loss and stimulation of hair growth.

Homme vérifiant ses cheveux dans le miroir


What is telogenic effluvium without thinning in men?

A disruption of the hair’s life cycle that affects the entire scalp and causes more hair loss than usual.
All men with a healthy scalp lose between 50 and 100 hairs daily in the telogen phase. The telogen phase is the last stage of the hair’s life cycle: dead hair will gradually fall out of the scalp and be replaced by new hair.
This process generally lasts three months, but it can be abruptly interrupted in the case of telogen effluvium. This causes a relatively sudden loss of some telogen hair, which explains the relatively abundant hair loss (more than 150 hairs per day).
This disorder is occasional and often resolves itself on its own without treatment generally after four to six months. However, in some patients, particularly those with persistent endocrine, metabolic and dietary problems, telogen effluvium can be chronic, which may eventually lead to diffuse thinning.

What causes telogenic effluvium in men?

As with women, telogen effluvium in men is always caused by a trigger, whether it is an environmental factor, a stress episode or a health problem.
Some of the most common factors include:
  • the arrival of spring or autumn ;
  • a significant weight variation (both gain and loss) ;
  • a sudden emotional shock (accident, grief, divorce);
  • an intense stress episode;
  • general anesthesia;
  • or a significant health problem, such as an infectious disease with high fever.

It is quite common for hair loss not to occur immediately after the triggering factor. As in women, the effects of telogen effluvium appear two to four months later.


cheveux dans les mains d'un homme souffrant d'effluvium télogène sans dégarnissement

How to identify telogen effluvium without thinning in men?

As with women, the first consequence of male telogen hair loss is increased hair loss. For example, this is the case when you find hair on your pillow when you wake up or on your clothes during the day.
In some men, telogen effluvium without thinning may also result in a diffuse loss of volume. However, it will not cause baldness in the patient.

How to distinguish telogen effluvium without thinning from other forms of alopecia?

This type of telogen effluvium should not be confused with alopecia or androgenetic alopecia. In fact, this type of telogen effluvium involves a diffuse hair loss that does not spare any area of the scalp without resulting in a thinning of the hair.
On the other hand, alopecia will lead to the loss – often in patches – of all hair, and not only those in the telogen phase. As for androgenetic alopecia, it is the cause of baldness. It causes a miniaturization of the hair, but only at the level of the frontal line, the mid-scalp and the top of the scalp. Baldness thus always spares the crown and temples and can be corrected by using grafts.
However, as in women, telogen effluvium may well be linked to alopecia or androgenetic alopecia, which may cause additional anxiety in the affected patients.


What to do in case of telogen hair loss?

The best thing to do is to consult a dermatologist, especially if the patient suffers from alopecia or associated androgenetic alopecia or if the hair loss is chronic.
 
The purpose of a consultation with a doctor is twofold:
    • perform a medical check-up to confirm the diagnosis of telogen effluvium and determine what was the triggering factor (health or other problem) ;
    • and initiate appropriate treatment to normalize the hair loss or stimulate hair growth.

The doctor can prescribe several types of care or treatment according to the medical check-up:

    • Vitamins that promote the production of keratin, like biotin and bepanthene;
    • anti-hair loss treatments;
    • Minoxidil treatment to extend the length of the hair cycle and improve blood circulation in the scalp;
    • Mesotherapy to provide vitamins to the scalp;
    • or microneedling sessions to revascularize the capillary dermis and stimulate the activity of the hair follicles.
The doctor may also recommend psychological support if the hair loss causes stress and anxiety disorders.
 
Please note that, as with women, hair grafts are not a recommended for telogen effluvium.


What if the hair loss lasts more than three months?

Two reasons could explain this:

    • The actual cause of the telogen effluvium has not been established and the doctor will have to identify it in order to determine a treatment or several treatments and stop the pathological effects on the hair.
    • Telogen hair loss involves an androgenetic process. In this case, it is also necessary to act on this process to slow down its effects on the hair.
    • If nothing is done, telogen effluvium will result in accelerated hair loss and the progression of baldness. Moreover, grafts are not recommended for this type of condition.

Diagnostic capillaire sur un patient souffrant d'effluvium télogène persistant