الفهرس 
Telogen EffluviumOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 111 |  |  |
| | | from | 111 | | |
Abstract
Telogen effluvium is a scalp disorder characterized by shedding of hairs resulting from the early entry of hair in the telogen phase. Emotional or physiological stress may result in an alteration of the normal hair cycle and cause the disorder, with potential causes including eating disorders, fever, childbirth, chronic illness, major surgery, anemia, severe emotional disorders, crash diets, hypothyroidism, and drugs.
In the present study, serum haemoglobin, iron, ferritin and lactoferrin were measured to determine their levels in patients with chronic telogen effluvium in comparison to healthy controls. To our knowledge this is the first study to assess serum lactoferrin level in patients with chronic telogen effluvium.
Results revealed significant difference in both serum ferritin and lactoferrin levels between chronic telogen effluvium patients and controls; being higher in the control group. However, there was non significant difference in levels of serum haemoglobin and serum iron between both cases and controls. The serum haemoglobin and ferritin levels were significantly higher while serum lactoferrin was significantly lower in males than in females and no significant difference in serum iron was found between males and females in chronic telogen effluvium patients. There was no significant correlation between age, duration of disease, severity of hair shedding (measured by hair shedding visual scale and manual daily counting) and association with androgenetic alopecia with laboratory results (serum haemoglobin, iron, ferritin and lactoferrin).
Lactoferrin was proposed to promote hair growth and enhance dermal papilla cell proliferation. Moreover, previous authors considered lactoferrin as an anti-androgenic agent, sebum secretion blocker and hair growth stimulant. Lactoferrin can be used also for strengthening and repairing keratin fibres.