TLDR COVID-19 may trigger sudden temporary hair loss.
Three years ago, a case study was reported of a 38-year-old woman who experienced acute telogen effluvium (ATE), a condition characterized by sudden and temporary hair loss, after recovering from COVID-19. The patient presented with severe hair loss (>150 hairs/day), oily scalp, and trichodynia (scalp pain). After 3 months of treatment with topical 5% minoxidil and selenium sulfide lotion, her hair loss significantly alleviated and new hairs grew out. The study suggested that SARS-CoV-2 infection could be a trigger for ATE. Other studies cited in the report found a high prevalence of alopecia (48.5%) among COVID-19 survivors in Wuhan, China, and a significant increase in ATE cases during the pandemic. However, the exact mechanism linking COVID-19 and telogen effluvium remained unclear.
51 citations,
November 2020 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” COVID-19 infection may cause significant hair loss, but full hair recovery is likely without special treatment.
43 citations,
July 2020 in “Dermatologic Therapy” During the COVID-19 pandemic, a clinic in Turkey saw fewer patients but more cases of certain skin conditions, possibly linked to the virus and stress.
39 citations,
June 2020 in “Dermatologic Therapy” The COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in untreated hair diseases and showed the importance of teledermatology.
5 citations,
January 2019 in “Giornale italiano di dermatologia e venereologia” Hair loss can happen after a fever caused by Rickettsia conorii infection.
3 citations,
February 2017 in “Italian journal of dermatology and venereology” Hair loss might be the first sign of dengue fever.
2 citations,
July 2023 in “Life” COVID-19 can cause temporary hair loss, which is commonly reversible with treatment.
25 citations,
August 2021 in “Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971 -)” COVID-19 infection can significantly cause temporary hair loss.
February 2024 in “Recima21” Covid-19 can cause hair loss due to immune and psychological factors.
3 citations,
April 2021 in “Revista da Sociedade Portuguesa de Dermatologia e Venereologia” Some people who got COVID-19 experienced temporary hair loss starting around 10 weeks after infection, with many seeing improvement within about 25 days.
1 citations,
October 2022 in “Cureus” Over half of the participants in a Saudi Arabian survey experienced hair loss after COVID-19, affecting women and younger people more, with a small percentage feeling a severe impact on their lives.
3 citations,
August 2022 in “International Journal of Molecular Sciences” COVID-19 can cause hair loss, and treatments like PRP and stem cells might help.
