An overwhelming number of people report severe hair loss after COVID infection.
Experts point to it as a common side effect
Dr. Sneha Sood, Consultant – Dermatologist, Aster RV Hospital, JP Nagar, Bangalore shares, “We are seeing many patients who have gone through the full course of COVID disease experiencing severe hair loss once they have recovered.
Whenever a person experiences a serious infection, hair loss is not an unusual side effect. Since the body has undergone an attack and there are chemical changes in the system as the body tries to fight the virus. It can cause hair loss a few weeks after the recovery of the COVID ”.
It’s forever?
According to Dr. Sood, “Usually this will correct only after a few months and the hair growth patterns will return to normal. While the body stress caused by the COVID virus. It is a factor that causes hair loss, mental stress can also contribute to it.
1-3 months after illness, hair that has entered the telogen phase prematurely during illness it tends to shed to pave the way for new, healthy hair to grow. This causes hair to fall out at a rate of over 100-200 per day, which can be distressing for the patient.
As usual, This type of hair loss is temporary and tends to normalize in about 3-6 months. Hair lost during the shedding phase grows back with minimal loss of volume. “
Not only is it COVID, the fall may be due to other causes
However, during this time it is important to identify what factors are responsible for hair loss.
Moderate hair loss can be controlled at home with the help of diet, exercise, yoga meditation, getting enough sleep, etc. A few months after recovery, if you start to notice hair growing along your hairline again, this is a sign that your body is rebalancing and returning to normal.
Dr. Deepa Krishna Murthy, Consultant – Dermatologist, Columbia Asia Hospital Sarjapur Road (a unit of Manipal Hospitals). Share that hair loss of up to 100 hairs per day is normal.
Any disease forces the hair to enter the fall phase
Hair goes through a cycle in which it passes from the growth phase to the resting phase and to the shedding phase. Covid or any viral illness / fever forces more hair to enter the shedding phase due to inflammation and stress on the body. What is called telogen effluvium.
While hair can grow back on its own, se recommend treatments like hair supplements and peptide-based serums to help hair grow faster. Nutritional deficiencies, if any, must also be assessed and treated appropriately.
Additional lifestyle measures are:
- Avoid greasing the hair
- Make sure you have enough iron in your diet
- Consume more anti-inflammatory foods like nuts: almonds, walnuts, boiled peanuts, seeds like chia seeds, green leafy vegetables to help the body recover from the virus.
- Drinking water
- If the hair loss is drastic and causes baldness, contact a dermatologist for a diagnosis and treatment.
- Using mild sulfate-free shampoos
- Avoid excessive heat and chemical hair treatments.
- Check for any problems related to dandruff and treat them immediately.
Related Notes:
STUDY: Children May Not Need More Than 6 Days To Recover From COVID-19
Is it safe for people with heart conditions to get the COVID vaccine?
Infectious Diseases Returning Stronger Due to COVID-19