Coronavirus Hair loss: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

We are at the center of a pandemic due to the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. This virus causes the disease COVID-19.

People who become ill with Covid-19 have a variety of signs. Hair loss has been related to people who have recovered from Covid 19. The notes hair loss as a potential long-term effect of Covid 19 that’s currently under study.

We will discuss whether Sars-CoV-2 infection causes hair loss.

I had earlier shared  Retrograde Alopecia: How To Prevent It?  I hope you read.

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Table of Contents

Research

Reports of hair loss COVID-19 have been seen in case Source studies. However, because of this, how often it occurs in the larger population is currently unknown.

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A November study late-onset sign of COVID-19 in a small group of 62 participants. For the 57 participants included in the analysis, 13 (24.0 percent) reported hair loss.

In this research, the average time from COVID-19 sign onset to noticeable hair loss was 57.6 days.

Resolved hair loss in five of the 13 participants. However, eight participants were still experiencing hair loss at the time they interviewed them.

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Covid 19 cause hair loss

Hair loss that’s seen following COVID-19 is compatible with a condition called telogen effluvium. People with telogen effluvium report hair loss that happens suddenly.

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Hair falls out in large clumps, often while brushing and showering.

Most people who develop telogen effluvium have noticeable hair loss 2 to 4 months after a triggering event. It commonly affects the scalp and lasts for 6 to 8 months. After this period, people find that the lost hair regrowth.

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How does this relate to COVID-19? One of the possible triggers of telogen effluvium is a severe illness with fever. However, people who become ill with Covid-19 have a variety of signs.

Stress is another potential trigger for TE. Indeed, experiencing an illness like COVID-19 can cause both physical and emotional stress. The stress of quarantine has also been seen in some people.

Must read: Symptoms Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

What’s the mechanism of TE?

Hair has different growth phases. TE happens when a stressor causes many hairs to stop developing and enter inside the resting telogen phase.

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In this telogen phase, hairs rest for 2 to 4 months before being shed from your scalp to allow hair growth. It’s why hair loss due to TE happens so long after a triggering event, such as an illness or a highly stressful period.

What is hair loss?

However, sometimes the shed hair isn’t replaced with new hair, eventually leading to hair thinning and bald patches. It is called hair loss.

Hair loss that affects the lower part of the neck is called the nape and affects the skin above the ears. So that the hair continues to fall out, this condition is relatively common in individuals with hereditary hair loss.

Is hair loss associated with severe Covid-19?

Hair loss compared with Covid-19. Still, the extent to which this is the case and the biological mechanism is unclear.

The research study evaluated 174 people hospitalized with covid 19. Researchers mentioned that a high amount of participants, 66 percent, have androgenic alopecia.

You must read this article: First Symptoms Of Covid-19: All You Should To Know

However, it is essential to note that there was no control group in the research.

A July 2020-21 study compared balding patterns in 335 men hospitalized for COVID-19 and 1,604 men hospitalized without COVID-19.

It found that people with the most pronounced pattern of baldness were more likely to test positive for covid 19.

A population study surveyed 43,565 people on topics like hair loss, underlying health conditions, and COVID-19 status. found that hair loss was independently associated with more severe COVID-19.

Further research is needed to determine how hair loss may be associated with COVID-19 risk.

Common reasons for hair loss

  • Hereditary or developmental. 
  • Cancer conditions lead to hair loss due to squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, lymphomas, or secondary metastases. 
  • Any infection like bacterial, fungal can leads to hair loss.
  • Burns, chemicals, mechanical injury can also lead to hair loss.
  • Inflammation of the underlying dermis in diseases like syphilis, tuberculosis, herpes zoster, etc.
  • Emotional stress 

Also see : Symptoms Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

  • After surgery
  • Iron and Zinc deficiency
  • Post pregnancy 
  • In patients with thyroid or pituitary disorder 
  • Drug-induced: Patients on anti-cancer treatment, anti-thyroid drugs, and anticoagulant therapy patients suffer from hair loss.

Hair loss diagnosis

  • History Taking 
  • Scalp Examination 
  • Hair analysis, the health professional, will need to sample the hair for examination under a microscope. Scalp samples may be taken as well.
  • Blood tests may include testing for conditions such as overactive or underactive thyroid glands.

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What can you do about hair loss?

There are many potential treatments that your doctor may suggest for hair loss, depending on its cause.

If medications are causing hair loss, the doctor may switch medication or recommended that you stop using it for some months.

I also wrote a tutorial on Dexamethasone Covid: Why It’s Used & How To Take? that you can follow.

The doctor prescribes medications or procedures to treat androgenic alopecia. These are

Finasteride (Propecia)Men can use it to slow down the rate of hair loss and encourage new growth.

Spironolactone (CaroSpir, Aldactone)In women, they can use it to slow down hair loss and improve hair thickness.

Corticosteroid injection injecting this into areas of thinning hair or baldness can help with hair loss, such as alopecia areata.

What you can do at home

Some things you can do at your home to help treat hair loss. But talk with your doctor before using any at-home treatment.

Lifestyle changes

Some grooming practices can contribute to your hair loss. Aim to avoid things that are harsh on hair, including:

  • Tugging or pulling on your hair while brushing
  • Wearing hairstyles that pull on hair, such as ponytails, hair extensions, and tight braids
  • Having hair treatments that can damage hair, such as perms and hot-oil treatments

Minoxidil 

Minoxidil is available over the counter. Men and women also use it to help growing hair or to stop hair loss. You can find it in markets as a shampoo, liquid, or foam.

Devices

Things such as micro-needling devices and laser combs or caps are available for at-home treatment of hair loss. The American Dermatology research that trials have shown promising results, but more research is needed into their effectiveness.

Alternative treatments

Many treatments for hair loss have been explored. While some more research is needed into their effectiveness. Alternative hair loss treatments are:

  • Onion juice
  • Rosemary oil
  • Saw palmetto
  • Amino acids
  • Vitamin D
  • Omega fish oil

Must read: Does Vitamin D Help With Covid?

When to see your doctor

Meet with your doctor if you’re trouble or distressed about your hair loss.

Some signs indicate an underlying health condition that needs treatment, maybe because of hair loss. 

See your doctor if you feel hair loss 

  • Comes on suddenly
  • Causes hair to fall out in clumps
  • Is accompanied by scalp itching or tenderness
  • Leads to patchy baldness

Conclusion

Some people may also experience hair loss after getting sick with covid 19. It often appears after other symptoms.

Hair loss due to covid 19 due to a condition called telogen effluvium. Illnesses like being sick with stress and fever can trigger it. However, most people with telogen effluvium regrow hair that’s been lost.

Change your daily life to stop the spread of Covid-19. Such as washing hands frequently, following physical distance, and wearing masks are included.

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Do let me know what homemade tips you follow to prevent hair loss, Share your tips in the comment below!

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