I Wonder If I’m Experiencing Telogen Effluvium

Hi. I’m a 24-year-old white male who has been having hair loss issues for about a year now. Based on family history, I know it’s probably AGA, but since I don’t seem to be following the classic NW pattern, and because the thinning became apparent suddenly, accompanied by severe shedding and following a stressful period, I’ve often wondered if I could be experiencing telogen effluvium. A hair pull test I performed on myself in May 2008 seemed to support this notion.

The shedding has long since stopped, but my hair has not returned to its normal density. My question is, how often is telogen effluvium concentrated in one area of the scalp? Almost every description I’ve read says it’s diffuse, but I’ve seen pictures of post-op patients suffering from it who have lost an appalling amount of hair on top but relatively little on the back and sides.

Generally speaking, telogen effluvium (TE) is spread throughout the scalp. This is the time to see a doctor and be examined for:

1. A miniaturization mapping of the scalp hairs
2. A genetic test for the balding gene, if appropriate
3. An experienced doctor who knows what to do

This is not the place to write a textbook for a complex problem like you are describing.