If the coronavirus pandemic taught us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected. Many people’s hair loss, on the other hand, may not be so surprising. This is why.
Hair loss is common following a fever or sickness.
Fever is a common COVID-19 symptom. Many people experience substantial hair loss a few months after having a high fever or recovering from an illness.
Many people mistakenly believe this is hair loss, however it’s simply hair shedding. Telogen effluvium is the medical term for this type of hair loss. When a large number of hairs enter the shedding (telogen) phase of the hair growing lifecycle at the same time, this occurs. More hairs may enter the shedding phase as a result of a fever or illness.
Hair shedding is usually visible two to three months following a fever or sickness. When you shower or brush your hair, a few strands of hair may fall out. Hair shedding might extend anywhere from six to nine months before ceasing. The majority of people notice that their hair starts to appear normal again and that they stop shedding.
The hair loss reported with COVID-19 is typical of a disease known as telogen effluvium (TE). Hair loss is reported to be sudden in those with TE. Hair falls out in huge clumps most of the time, especially when brushing or showering.
2 to 3 months following a triggering event, most persons with telogen effluvium see considerable hair loss. This usually only affects half of the scalp and lasts 6 to 9 months. Most people discover that their lost hair regrows after this time.
What does this have to do with COVID-19? An severe sickness with a fever is one of the possible causes for TE. Fever is one of the most common signs of COVID-19 infection.
Another possible cause of TE is stress. Experiencing a disease like COVID-19 may undoubtedly be stressful on both the physical and emotional levels. In fact, TE has been detected in the past.
Is there a link between severe COVID-19 and hair loss?
It’s probable that severe COVID-19 is linked to hair loss. However, the amount to which this is true, as well as the biological mechanism that underpins it, are unknown at this time.
A research will be released in May 2020.
175 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 were examined by Trusted Source. The researchers discovered that a large percentage of the subjects (67%) had androgenic alopecia. It’s worth noting that the study didn’t have a control group.
A 2020 report will be released in July.
The balding patterns of 336 men hospitalized for COVID-19 and 1,605 men hospitalized without COVID-19 were compared by Trusted Source. Men with the most prominent pattern of baldness were more likely to test positive for COVID-19, according to the study.
A population study will be conducted in November 2020.
A total of 43,565 participants were polled by Trusted Source on their hair loss, underlying health issues, and COVID-19 status or outcome. Hair loss was observed to be connected with more severe COVID-19 sickness on its own.
It’s vital to emphasize that there’s a scarcity of study on this subject right now. Hair loss may be linked to COVID-19 risk, but further research is needed to find out.
