COVID-19 Vaccination Related Exacerbations of Hair Loss in Patients With Moderate-to-Severe Alopecia Areata on Systemic Therapy

    August 2022 in “ JAAD case reports ”
    Arash Babadjouni, Celine Phong, Cristina Nguyen, Natasha Atanaskova Mesinkovska
    Image of study
    TLDR COVID-19 vaccines may rarely worsen hair loss in people with severe alopecia, but the benefits of vaccination still outweigh this risk.
    The study investigated the effects of COVID-19 vaccines on hair loss in 69 patients with moderate-to-severe alopecia areata (AA) undergoing systemic therapy. Of these, 49 received COVID-19 vaccines, and 20 did not. Only 3 vaccinated patients reported hair loss, which started about 2 weeks post-vaccination and lasted up to 20 weeks. The study suggests that COVID-19 vaccines might stimulate systemic immune activation, potentially leading to disease flares in predisposed patients. However, these events are rare, and the benefits of vaccination outweigh the theoretical risk of autoimmune flares. The study also highlighted three cases where patients' Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) scores increased after vaccination. The researchers concluded that while there might be an association between COVID-19 vaccines and worsening hair loss, more large-scale studies are needed for a definitive link.
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Research cited in this study

    2 / 2 results

    Related Community Posts Join

    6 / 1000+ results

      community Dutasteride 1 year regression. Depressing. (With pictures for proof)

      in Progress Pictures  14 upvotes 1 year ago
      A user shared their experience of hair loss progression after one year on dutasteride, expressing disappointment with no improvement and considering other treatments like RU58841. Other users offered mixed responses, some seeing no change, others suggesting the hair loss might have been worse without treatment, and discussing the role of testosterone and DHT in hair loss.

      community I am a dermatologist with a clinical interest in alopecia. AMA

      in Will treatment work for me? 2 years ago
      In this conversation, 4990 discussed various treatments for hair loss, including oral minoxidil, PRP, transplan, Jak inhibitors, Dutasteride, Finasteride, Olumiant, Ketoconazole, RU58841, microneedling, baricitinib, and CCCA. They recommended scalp biopsies in unclear cases of DUPA, twice weekly to twice daily shampooing for topical minoxidil users, and two sessions spaced one month apart with follow up at month three to determine the effectiveness of PRP treatment.

      community Binding affinity of pyrilutamide!

      in Update  167 upvotes 2 years ago
      Pyrilutamide, a nonsteroidal antiandrogen drug under development for the potential treatment of androgenic alopecia. The conversation discusses its binding affinity to the androgen receptor and the timeline for possible availability after trials are completed in the United States and China.

      community Well here I am 3-4 years later.

      in Update  56 upvotes 10 months ago
      The conversation is about someone who has been taking finasteride for hair loss without success, considering switching to dutasteride or giving up treatment. Suggestions include trying dutasteride, microneedling, infrared therapy, multivitamins, and high-concentration topical solutions combining finasteride and dutasteride.
      Topical Dutasteride - Non-Hormonal, Side Effect Free 5ARI?

      community Topical Dutasteride - Non-Hormonal, Side Effect Free 5ARI?

      in Treatments  450 upvotes 4 months ago
      Topical dutasteride is suggested as a low side-effect treatment for hair loss, with a proposed dose of 0.025% 1ml/day. It is considered better than finasteride due to its even inhibition of DHT isoforms and lower systemic absorption.

      community What else is good. Besides the big 3.

      in Chat  34 upvotes 2 months ago
      Key treatments for hair preservation include minoxidil, finasteride/dutasteride, and microneedling, with additional options like specific shampoos, oils, biotin, zinc, tretinoin, clascoterone, and low-level laser therapy. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, reducing stress, and addressing nutrient deficiencies can also support hair health.

    Related Research

    4 / 4 results