Hair Loss and Telogen Effluvium Related to COVID-19: The Potential Implication of Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Platelet-Rich Plasma as Regenerative Strategies

August 2022 in “ International Journal of Molecular Sciences ”

Pietro Gentile

hair loss telogen effluvium COVID-19 psychological stress systemic inflammation oxidative stress pattern hair loss Platelet-Rich Plasma Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells HL TE PRP AD-MSCs

Studysummary This review discusses the increased incidence of hair loss and telogen effluvium among COVID-19 patients and evaluates existing evidence for regenerative treatments like PRP and HFSCs, finding limited published data. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

The document reviews the increased incidence of hair loss (HL) and telogen effluvium (TE) in COVID-19 patients, attributing it to psychological stress, systemic inflammation, and oxidative stress. Observational studies from various countries show a higher prevalence and severity of pattern hair loss (PHL) in COVID-19 patients, with one study reporting 79% of men and 42% of women experiencing significant PHL. TE was also common, with 31.3% of patients affected. The article suggests regenerative strategies like Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) and Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (AD-MSCs) as potential treatments, but emphasizes the need for more controlled trials to confirm their efficacy.

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