Acute telogen effluvium

**Definition:** Acute telogen effluvium is an acute-onset scalp hair loss that occurs two to three months after a triggering, often life-threatening, stress which interrupts normal anagen hair growth. It is commonly seen in survivors who have required intensive care for severe sepsis, blood loss, inflammatory disease or trauma. It may also result from acute starvation. Large numbers of anagen hairs are converted to telogen and are shed two to three months later resulting in a diffuse alopecia.