Diffuse Hair Shedding Without Pattern Loss
Placeholder: diffuse shedding differs from patterned or patchy loss.
- 50–100: Normal daily shed (hairs, placeholder)
- ~10%: Telogen fraction (follicles, placeholder)
- 2–3 mo: Onset lag (after trigger, placeholder)
- Majority: Reversible cases (nutrient-driven, placeholder)
Recognizing diffuse shedding
Placeholder text: no receding hairline, no patches, whole-scalp thinning.
Ruling out other causes
Placeholder text: androgenic and autoimmune patterns look different.
Why history matters
Placeholder text: diet, illness, and stress timeline guide screening.
Nutrient Panel — Ferritin, Zinc, Vitamin D, Protein
Placeholder: a targeted panel screens common reversible deficiencies.
- <30–40: Ferritin threshold (ng/mL, placeholder)
- <70: Zinc threshold (µg/dL, placeholder)
- <20: Vitamin D threshold (ng/mL, placeholder)
- Low intake: Protein flag (diet recall, placeholder)
Ferritin as iron store
Placeholder text: ferritin reflects stored iron, not just circulating.
Zinc and vitamin D roles
Placeholder text: cofactors support follicle keratinocyte activity.
Dietary protein assessment
Placeholder text: keratin synthesis needs adequate amino acid supply.
Low Ferritin Disrupts Follicle Matrix Division
Placeholder: iron deficiency is the most common reversible driver.
- ↓ with: Matrix division rate (low ferritin, placeholder)
- Notable: Anagen fraction drop (placeholder value)
- Common: Telogen effluvium link (placeholder value)
- ~3 mo: Time to shedding (lag, placeholder)
Iron and the follicle matrix
Placeholder text: matrix keratinocytes are iron-dependent rapid dividers.
Premature telogen shift
Placeholder text: deficient follicles exit growth phase early.
Distinguishing from pattern loss
Placeholder text: follicle miniaturization is absent in deficiency shedding.
Supplementation and Dietary Correction
Placeholder: targeted repletion restores nutrient levels over months.
- Oral / IV: Iron repletion (placeholder route)
- Oral dose: Zinc repletion (placeholder route)
- Oral dose: Vitamin D repletion (placeholder route)
- Increased: Dietary protein target (intake, placeholder)
Repletion strategy
Placeholder text: correction is paced to target lab thresholds.
Monitoring intervals
Placeholder text: labs are rechecked periodically during correction.
Expected lag before visible change
Placeholder text: follicle response trails lab normalization by weeks.
Shedding Normalizes as Nutrients Correct
Placeholder: shedding declines toward baseline over three to six months.
- 3–6 mo: Normalization window (placeholder value)
- Baseline: Shedding at correction (placeholder value)
- Low: Permanent loss risk (if reversible, placeholder)
- If deficiency: Recurrence risk (returns, placeholder)
Cycling returns to normal
Placeholder text: matrix division and anagen duration recover.
Distinguishing reversible from permanent
Placeholder text: full regrowth argues against pattern hair loss.
Maintaining correction
Placeholder text: ongoing diet and monitoring prevent relapse.