Telogen Effluvium: Upright regrowing hairs.

Telogen Effluvium and Regrowth

Upright regrowing hairs (URH) are a common dermatoscopic (trichoscopic) feature of telogen effluvium. They are by no means specific for telogen effluvium as telogen effluvium actually does not have any specific dermatoscopic features. URH represent hairs that have just started their journey of regrowth after being shed a few weeks/months prior. Upright regrowing hairs are easily confused for the normal regrowth that is seen on anyone’s scalp as well as the smaller vellus hairs of androgenetic alopecia.

What distinguishes URH is that there are lots of them and they are all the same size. The are pigmented, stand straight up to the sky and are about 1/2 the thickness of a neighbouring hair. A few new sprouts here and there does not constitute a true URH. True URH are found in abundance all over the scalp.