Postpartum Telogen Effluvium Unmasking Traction Alopecia

Aman Samrao; Paradi Mirmirani

doi:10.1159/000521705

Postpartum Telogen Effluvium Unmasking Traction Alopecia

Skin Appendage Disord. 2022 Jul;8(4):328-332. doi: 10.1159/000521705. Epub 2022 Jan 28.

Authors

Aman Samrao¹, Paradi Mirmirani^{2

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Dermatology, The Permanente Medical Group, Stockton, California, USA.
² Department of Dermatology, The Permanente Medical Group, Vallejo, California, USA.
³ Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
⁴ Department of Dermatology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

Abstract

Introduction: Telogen effluvium (TE) is a type of diffuse hair shedding that occurs 2-3 months after an exposure or trigger. The excessive hair loss may "unmask" underlying hair loss disorders such as female pattern hair loss.

Case presentation: This is a case series of 3 patients with postpartum TE in which an underlying traction alopecia (TA) was revealed.

Conclusion: TE can unmask underlying TA. Awareness of this phenomenon is critical to appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

Keywords: Alopecia; Hair care; Hair histopathology.

Publication types

Case Reports