Intermittent Chronic Telogen Effluvium With an Unusual Dermoscopic Finding Following COVID-19

The document discusses a case of a 17-year-old girl who experienced severe intermittent hair loss, diagnosed as intermittent chronic telogen effluvium (TE), following symptoms of an upper respiratory infection, suspected to be COVID-19. TE is a disorder of the hair growth cycle, and more than 25% of people with COVID-19 experience TE, with women being affected more than men. The patient's hair loss began a week after the onset of her respiratory symptoms, and her parents noted that she had experienced periods of hair loss following upper respiratory infections since childhood. Dermoscopy revealed normal hair thickness with empty follicles, indicative of TE, and also showed bayonet hair and hairs suspicious for oblique tapered fracture. The patient was treated with Vitamin D3, biotin, FolicoGen® tablets, and Cerita Minuta® herbal anti-hair loss tonic, and partial recovery was achieved within a month. The document suggests that the systemic inflammatory response and microthrombi formation due to COVID-19 are likely mechanisms for TE, and that the condition is self-limited and can be treated by addressing the underlying cause and providing appropriate supplements.