Alopecia and Grey Hair Are Associated with COVID-19 Severity

In a study by São Paulo State University involving 43,595 participants from Brazil, researchers discovered that alopecia and extensive gray hair were independently linked to more severe COVID-19 cases. The study analyzed responses from 39,789 controls, 2,332 suspected, and 1,474 confirmed COVID-19 cases, finding a higher prevalence of both conditions in confirmed patients. While confirming known risk factors such as older age, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, the study also identified extensive gray hair and alopecia as additional independent risk factors for severe COVID-19. Despite limitations like the absence of dermatological examination and non-discrimination of alopecia types, the associations' magnitude and corroboration with suspected cases lent credibility to the findings.