Viral-Induced Rapidly Progressive Alopecia Universalis: A Case Report and Literature Review

April 2023 in “ Curēus ”

Manar A Alotaibi, Afrah Altaymani, Abdullah Al‐Omair, Waleed Alghamdi

alopecia areata autoimmune hair loss COVID-19 non-scarring hair loss

TLDR COVID-19 may trigger or worsen rapid hair loss in alopecia areata.

This case report describes a 20-year-old woman who developed severe and progressive alopecia areata, a non-scarring autoimmune hair loss condition, one month after contracting COVID-19. The study aimed to review the literature on the association between COVID-19 and the onset, aggravation, or recurrence of alopecia areata, focusing on the timeline and clinical presentation of such cases. The case highlights a potential link between COVID-19 infection and rapidly progressive alopecia areata, suggesting that the virus may trigger or exacerbate this autoimmune condition.

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Research cited in this study

8 / 8 results

research Spontaneous Complete Resolution of Alopecia Totalis Post SARS-CoV-2 Infection

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7 citations, February 2022 in “JAAD International”

COVID-19 may be linked to hair loss or worsening of hair loss in some people.

research New Onset of Alopecia Areata in a Patient with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Possible Pathogenetic Correlations

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research Rapidly Progressive Alopecia Areata Totalis in a COVID-19 Patient, Unresponsive to Tofacitinib

14 citations, February 2021 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology”

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research Alopecia Areata: A Review of Disease Pathogenesis

191 citations, May 2018 in “British journal of dermatology/British journal of dermatology, Supplement”

Alopecia areata is likely an autoimmune disease with unclear triggers, involving various immune cells and molecules, and currently has no cure.

research Evaluation of the Relationship Between Alopecia Areata and Viral Antigen Exposure

19 citations, August 2017 in “American journal of clinical dermatology”

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research Alopecia Areata Possibly Induced by Autoimmune Reaction in a Patient with Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus-1-Associated Myelopathy

6 citations, May 2013 in “The Journal of Dermatology”

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After experiencing hair loss due to alopecia areata following COVID-19 vaccination and infection, the individual saw improvement with steroid treatments and Olumiant. They paused Olumiant during a second COVID-19 infection and expressed concern about potential hair loss flare-ups.

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