TLDR After severe COVID-19, 71% of patients experienced excessive hair shedding and thinning within 3 months due to factors like low oxygen levels, medication, stress, and autoimmune disease.
A prospective single-centre study conducted from May to July 2020 involving 38 COVID-19 survivors of severe hypoxic respiratory failure found that 71% of these patients developed telogen effluvium (TE) alopecia within 3 months after discharge. TE is a scalp disorder characterized by excessive shedding and thinning of hair, often related to drugs, trauma, and emotional and physiological stress. The study suggests that the onset of TE in these patients could be attributed to several factors: severe prolonged hypoxia, increased androgen receptor related pathway, drugs used during admission, stress, and autoimmune disease. The severe hypoxia experienced by these patients could have led to a lower or insufficient blood supply to the scalp tissues, contributing to TE alopecia. Further studies are needed to better understand these hypothesized mechanisms or potential correlations among them.
Cited in this study
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119 citations
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August 2020 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Most COVID-19 patients in hospitals have androgenetic alopecia, more in men, suggesting a link between androgen sensitivity and severe COVID-19 symptoms.
56 citations
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August 2019 in “Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology” The document concludes that Telogen Effluvium is a hair loss disorder that can be assessed with the modified wash test and may be treated with clobetasol foam, with patient management being important.
1 citations
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September 2022 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Baricitinib helps grow eyebrows and eyelashes in severe alopecia areata patients.
1 citations
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January 2022 in “Dermatology Reports” Many people with hair loss, especially those with telogen effluvium and alopecia areata, often have a sensitive scalp.
2 citations
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September 2021 in “JAAD case reports” Dupilumab helped a woman with severe hair loss regrow her hair quickly and maintain it for six months after stopping treatment.
6 citations
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January 2019 in “Indian Journal of Dermatology” About 12% of children in Kota, Rajasthan, experience hair loss, mainly due to fungal infections, with early treatment advised to prevent worsening.
36 citations
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May 2011 in “Dermatologic therapy” No treatments fully cure or prevent alopecia areata; some help but have side effects or need more research.
109 citations
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May 2011 in “Dermatologic Therapy” Alopecia areata is a type of hair loss that can lead to complete baldness, often associated with other autoimmune conditions, and half of the cases may see hair return within a year.
