Telogen effluvium
Diffuse shedding triggered by stress, illness or a nutritional gap.
A sudden, diffuse shedding that happens when an unusual number of follicles enter the resting phase at once, typically two to three months after a trigger: illness, surgery, childbirth, crash dieting or severe stress. It is not pattern hair loss and usually reverses once the cause is dealt with.
Related terms
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Anagen phase
The growing phase of the hair cycle.
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Crown (vertex)
The whorl at the top and back of the head.
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DHT (dihydrotestosterone)
The hormone that drives pattern hair loss.
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Donor area
The band of hair at the back and sides that supplies the grafts.
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Follicular unit
The natural grouping of one to four hairs that grow together.
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Graft
One follicular unit, moved from the donor area to the recipient area.
