Shock loss and Post-Surgical Telogen Effluvium
Both types of temporary hair shedding that can occur after a hair transplant, but they are distinct in their causes and characteristics:
Shock Loss
•Cause: Occurs due to the trauma or stress of the surgical procedure itself. The manipulation of hair follicles during the transplant can trigger a temporary shedding of both transplanted hair and surrounding native hair.
•Affected Hair: Can affect both transplanted grafts and pre-existing native hair, especially miniaturized hair that is already in the process of thinning.
•Onset: Typically occurs within 2–8 weeks after the surgery.
•Duration: Usually, hair regrows after 3–6 months.
•Management: Medications like finasteride and minoxidil may help reduce the risk of shock loss.
Post-surgical Telogen Effluvium (TE)
•Cause: A generalized hair shedding caused by stress or systemic shock to the body after surgery. It’s not exclusive to hair transplant procedures and can occur after any major surgery or stress event.
•Affected Hair: Primarily affects hair across the scalp, as the systemic shock forces more hair follicles into the telogen (resting) phase prematurely.
•Onset: Usually occurs 2–3 months post-surgery or after a significant physical or emotional stressor.
•Duration: Hair typically regrows in 6–12 months as the hair cycle returns to normal.
•Management: Focuses on managing the underlying stressors and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Key Differences
•Shock loss is localized and directly related to the surgical trauma in the area of the transplant, while telogen effluvium is more generalized and related to systemic stress on the body, potentially affecting the entire scalp.
•Shock loss affects transplanted and nearby hair, whereas telogen effluvium can occur all over the scalp and can be triggered by factors unrelated to the hair transplant procedure itself.
In both cases, the shedding is temporary, and the hair regrows once the follicle cycles back to the growth (anagen) phase .