Characteristics of Hair Loss in COVID-19 Patients in Thailand

The study "Characteristics of hair loss in COVID-19 patients in Thailand" conducted from March to June 2022, included 43 patients who experienced hair loss within 4 months after COVID-19 infection. The mean age was 46.5 years, and most were women. Most had mild COVID-19 symptoms (59.3%), and 59.1% experienced weight loss, with a mean weight loss of 4.3 kg per month. Preexisting hair loss was reported in 31.0% of participants, with about 75% diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia. The median onset of hair loss after COVID-19 infection was 30 days. Telogen effluvium was the most common acute hair loss diagnosis, and topical minoxidil was the predominant treatment (95.3%). Female gender was correlated with a more severe shedding scale (adjusted odd ratio 24.76, 95% CI 1.67-168.86). Patients with a history of androgenetic alopecia tended to have a lower hair shedding scale (adjusted odd ratio 0.03, 95% CI 0.01-0.38). The study concluded that COVID-19-associated telogen effluvium, which is the primary cause in their patients, manifested with earlier onset at approximately 30 days.