TLDR A woman's hair loss after COVID-19 was likely due to a mix of pressure-induced alopecia and acute telogen effluvium.
The document reports a case of a 58-year-old woman who experienced significant hair loss after recovering from COVID-19, diagnosed as atypical acute telogen effluvium (TE). Trichoscopy revealed hair loss across the scalp with greater involvement of the vertex area, where black dots and perifollicular discoloration were observed, which are not typically found in TE. The patient's history included using a small pillow for head support during hospitalization, leading to the hypothesis of pressure-induced alopecia (PA) in conjunction with acute TE. Treatment with oral minoxidil, topical clobetasol, and a topical solution with caffeine and peptides resulted in improvement after 3 months. The document suggests that post-COVID-19 alopecia could be a combination of PA and TE, possibly due to tissue ischemia from prolonged pressure and a "cytokine storm" from severe infection. Preventive measures in intensive care units are recommended to reduce the incidence of PA.
Cited in this study
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18 citations
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May 2021 in “Experimental Dermatology” COVID-19 may cause hair loss and scalp pain due to inflammation and changes in hair follicle receptors, but these symptoms typically resolve in 2 to 4 months.
4 citations
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March 2021 in “International Journal of Dermatology” COVID-19 and related stress may increase hair loss known as Telogen effluvium.
44 citations
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January 2021 in “Dermatologic Therapy” COVID-19 may cause hair loss due to infection stress or treatments.
1 citations
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September 2022 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Baricitinib helps grow eyebrows and eyelashes in severe alopecia areata patients.
1 citations
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January 2022 in “Dermatology Reports” Many people with hair loss, especially those with telogen effluvium and alopecia areata, often have a sensitive scalp.
2 citations
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September 2021 in “JAAD case reports” Dupilumab helped a woman with severe hair loss regrow her hair quickly and maintain it for six months after stopping treatment.
6 citations
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January 2019 in “Indian Journal of Dermatology” About 12% of children in Kota, Rajasthan, experience hair loss, mainly due to fungal infections, with early treatment advised to prevent worsening.
36 citations
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May 2011 in “Dermatologic therapy” No treatments fully cure or prevent alopecia areata; some help but have side effects or need more research.
109 citations
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May 2011 in “Dermatologic Therapy” Alopecia areata is a type of hair loss that can lead to complete baldness, often associated with other autoimmune conditions, and half of the cases may see hair return within a year.
