Evaluation of Patients with Telogen Effluvium During the Pandemic: Are Monocytes Responsible for Post COVID-19 Telogen Effluvium?

This observational cohort study from June to November 2021 involved 181 patients with telogen effluvium (TE), a common type of non-scarring hair loss. The study found that 35.4% of these patients had been diagnosed with COVID-19 before the onset of hair loss, with the median duration of hair loss development being 2 months post-COVID-19 diagnosis. Additionally, 64.1% of patients with a previous COVID-19 infection tested positive in the hair pull test, and the rate of acute TE and vitamin supplement use was significantly higher in this group. The study also found a significant difference in the median monocyte count (a type of white blood cell) between patients with and without a previous COVID-19 infection, suggesting that monocytes may play a crucial role in post-COVID-19 TE. The study concludes that a history of COVID-19 should be considered in patients diagnosed with TE, and further research is needed to understand the role of monocytes in COVID-19 induced hair loss.