telogen

noun

te·​lo·​gen ˈtē-lə-ˌjen 

: the resting phase of the hair growth cycle that typically lasts three months, is preceded by anagen and catagen, and is usually followed by shedding of the hair shaft during exogen

Note: Anagen will immediately follow telogen if hair is not shed at the end of telogen during the exogen phase.

Examples of telogen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Episodes of significant physical or emotional stress may be followed by a period of hair shedding two to three months later, a phenomenon known as telogen effluvium. —William Truswell, Verywell Health, 24 Oct. 2024

For example, the jolt of postpartum or menopause—and the hormonal swings associated with these conditions—will commonly trigger telogen effluvium in women, according to Nazanin Saedi, MD, an associate professor of dermatology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. —Sarah Madaus, Allure, 16 Oct. 2024

Hodgdon builds that certain conditions like alopecia or telogen effluvium (temporary hair loss after an episode of severe stress) can also have an impact. —Kiana Murden, Vogue, 20 Sep. 2024

The stages are anagen (growth stage), catagen (regression stage), telogen (resting stage), and exogen (shedding stage). —Nancy Lebrun, Verywell Health, 15 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

telo- + -gen

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

telogen

noun

te·​lo·​gen ˈtē-lə-ˌjen 

: the resting phase of the hair growth cycle that typically lasts three months, is preceded by anagen and catagen, and is usually followed by shedding of the hair shaft during exogen

Note: Anagen will immediately follow telogen if hair is not shed at the end of telogen during the exogen phase.

Scalp hairs spend four to eight years in anagen and just two to four months in telogen.

—Julianne Dunphy

The remaining 10 percent of hairs are in a resting phase called telogen that lasts about three months, after which the resting hairs start falling out.

—Jane E. Brody