Can Coronavirus Cause Hair Loss? – Healthline

We’re currently in the middle 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 can have a wide variety of symptoms. Hair loss has been reported in people who have recovered from COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes hair loss as a potential long-term effect of COVID-19 that’s currently under investigation.

Below, we’ll discuss whether a SARS-CoV-2 infection can lead to hair loss, other symptoms to look out for, and when to talk with your doctor.

Many reports of hair loss following COVID-19 have been seen in casestudies. Because of this, how often it occurs in the larger population is currently unknown.

A November 2020 study investigated late-onset symptoms of COVID-19 in a small group of 63 participants. For the 58 participants included in the analysis, 14 (24.1 percent) reported hair loss.

In this study, the average time from COVID-19 symptom onset to noticeable hair loss was 58.6 days.

Hair loss resolved in five of the 14 participants. However, nine participants were still experiencing hair loss at the time they were interviewed.

The hair loss that’s seen following COVID-19 is consistent with a condition called telogen effluvium (TE). People with TE report hair loss that comes on suddenly. Hair typically falls out in large clumps, often while brushing or showering.

Most people who develop TE have noticeable hair loss 2 to 3 months after a triggering event. This typically affects less than half of the scalp and lasts for 6 to 9 months. After this period, most people find that the lost hair regrows.

How does this relate to COVID-19? One of the potential triggers for TE is an acute illness with fever. People who’ve become ill with COVID-19 often experience fever as one of their symptoms.

Stress is another potential trigger for TE. Certainly, experiencing an illness like COVID-19 can cause both physical and emotional stress. In fact, TE has also been observed in some people due to the stresses of quarantining.

What’s the mechanism of TE?

Hair has different growth phases. TE happens when a stressor causes a large amount of hair to stop growing and enter into the resting (telogen) phase.

In the …….

Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/coronavirus-and-hair-loss