Viral infections come with a long list of symptoms. Fever, cough, shortness of breath, and loss of smell are just a few more common symptoms of the virus known as COVID-19. But hair loss? According to research, if you start to notice you’re losing more hair than usual, Covid could very well be to blame. Here’s how to tell if you’re experiencing Covid related hair loss.
Help, I’m Losing My Hair!
Did you know that the average person loses about 100 strands of hair per day? So when you swipe your hand through your wet hair in the shower and find a nest of hair stuck to your fingers, that’s normal!
However, a sudden and temporary increase in hair loss is not. This is called telogen effluvium. Hair follicles experience a three-phase lifecycle: growth (anagen), transition (catagen), and resting (telogen). Approximately 10% of your hair follicles are in the telogen phase at one time. Factors such as stress, pregnancy (or postpartum), trauma, and even illness can cause more of your hair to enter the telogen phase at once. This is telogen effluvium.
If you notice you’re losing more hair than average, it’s time to consider what might influence your increase in hair loss. That’s where Covid comes in. Even if you experienced only a mild case of Covid, more and more people are reporting hair loss as a side effect of the disease.
The Link Between Covid and Hair Loss
Studies estimate that as many as 22% of patients hospitalized for Covid experienced temporary hair loss. Those who reported having long-Covid also indicated hair loss as one of the many symptoms they experienced once the virus had run its course. In some cases, hair loss appeared several weeks or months afterward.
Experts aren’t entirely sure what aspect of Covid is causing hair loss. Some speculate that stress from the illness could be a factor, especially in hospitalized individuals. Other hypotheses include increased inflammation or the virus directly attacking the hair follicles.
More studies will help experts better understand the link between Covid and hair loss. It is unclear whether those who experience more severe symptoms also have more severe hair loss. However, it is clear that hair loss can be added to the list of symptoms to watch out for, even up to 12 weeks after the virus has run its course.
If you’re experiencing any type of hair loss, Custom Hair Tampa Bay can help. To schedule a free consultation, click here.
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