telogen effluvium or hair thinning?

How does one tell the difference between telogen effluvium or hair thinning?

The best way to tell the difference between telogen effluvium and hair thinning is to purchase a digital hand microscope from Amazon (about $35) and zoom in on various areas of the head where the hair is strong (donor area) and thin elsewhere.  Miniaturization is a sign of early balding, and telogen effluvium doesn’t show miniaturization.