Acute Telogen Effluvium Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection

In August 2020, a 42-year-old woman presented with a sudden and dramatic loss of hair volume, two weeks after testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. Dermatological examination showed diffuse hair loss without any defined alopecic patches or other scalp abnormalities. A pull test was strongly positive and a trichogram showed 35% of telogen follicles, leading to a diagnosis of acute telogen effluvium. The researchers hypothesized that her SARS-CoV-2 infection three months prior could have been the trigger. Acute telogen effluvium is a common condition caused by a sudden shift of at least 20% of hairs from the active growth phase to the resting phase, leading to hair loss approximately 3-4 months after a stressful triggering event. The patient was not given any treatment for telogen effluvium, as it is a reversible type of alopecia that resolves after the cessation of the trigger. The researchers hoped that sharing this case would improve knowledge of acute telogen effluvium, especially given the stressful events associated with the pandemic.