What is Chronic Telogen Effluvium?

hi there! What does chronic telogen effluvium mean? I have ulcerative colitis, and it seems like every time I get sick, about two months later my hair falls out. then after about six months it stops. Then when i get sick again, it will start to fall out again. is this chronic effluvium and will it last forever, or does chronic mean that the hair will always be falling out?

The exact mechanism of this is unclear, but what you are describing does seem to be chronic telogen effluvium. The hair is pushed into a resting phase (telogen) by the activation of your autoimmune system with the ulcerative colitis. You may try 2% Rogaine (minoxidil) for 8 months and see if you can push the hair out of the resting cycle. The good news is that the hair is sill there and probably alive (resting), but the bad news is that treatment results are generally unpredictable.

For more information on TE, see Telogen Effluvium by Elizabeth CW Hughes, MD.