TLDR COVID-19 can cause various skin issues, like rashes and lesions, which are more common in younger patients and can be linked to more severe complications.
The document reviews over 1,500 articles on skin manifestations associated with COVID-19, which occur in 0.2% to 45% of patients, averaging around 6%. Common manifestations include maculopapular eruptions and erythema pernio-like (EPL) lesions, while urticaria, vesicular conditions, and livedo/purpura/necrosis are rare. EPL lesions are common in younger patients, appearing late and lasting long. Vesicular lesions appear before general symptoms in 15% of cases. Livedo/necrosis are linked to complications like a hypercoagulable state and vascular damage. Telogen effluvium, a temporary hair loss, is reported in 10% of patients. The document also discusses the role of androgens in COVID-19, suggesting that androgen expression could be a risk factor. A study showed that men with androgenetic alopecia using a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor showed reduced COVID-19 symptoms. However, the benefit of introducing anti-androgens after infection is uncertain. More studies are needed to understand the prevalence and patterns of skin lesions associated with COVID-19.
7 citations
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April 2021 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Hair loss (telogen effluvium) cases rose during the pandemic, especially in Hispanic and non-White groups, and were linked to other health issues and COVID-19.
49 citations
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January 2021 in “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” Anti-androgens, like finasteride, dutasteride, and spironolactone, may lessen the severity of COVID-19 in men, leading to fewer ICU admissions.
51 citations
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November 2020 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” COVID-19 infection may cause significant hair loss, but full hair recovery is likely without special treatment.
27 citations
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November 2020 in “International Journal of Dermatology” COVID-19 can cause skin issues like chilblains and rashes, which may help in early detection, especially in patients without other symptoms.
36 citations
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November 2020 in “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors may reduce COVID-19 symptoms in bald males.
80 citations
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June 2020 in “Dermatopathology” COVID-19 can cause various skin lesions, which may result from the virus and immune response, and are not directly linked to illness severity.
82 citations
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June 2020 in “Inflammation Research” Skin problems in COVID-19 patients are rare and may be due to the body's complex immune response or blood clotting issues.
70 citations
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February 2015 in “Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery” Topical drugs and near-infrared light therapy show potential for treating alopecia.
9 citations
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February 2005 in “The Journal of Men's Health & Gender” Finasteride effectively treats male hair loss, increasing length and thickness.
October 2025 in “Dermatology Practical & Conceptual” ChatGPT 4.0 and Gemini 1.5 Flash are effective for educating patients about androgenetic alopecia, while Deepseek R1 is less reliable.
November 2024 in “Clinical Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology” Rosemary oil may effectively treat hair loss with fewer side effects, but more research is needed.
59 citations
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May 2014 in “Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets” The document concludes that targeting 5α-reductase, the androgen receptor, and hair growth genes, along with using compounds with anti-androgenic properties, could lead to more effective hair loss treatments.
January 2023 in “Applied sciences” Equisetum debile extracts may help with skin whitening, anti-wrinkle, and anti-hair loss treatments.
