Hair can fall out after COVID-19. What to do? Experts advise

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On social media, the subject of healed hair loss causes a real panic. Internet users exchange their stories, and most of all, their remedial methods. Hairdressers, nutritionists, mothers, aunts and grandmothers advise how to stop excessive hair loss … Some suggest specialized shampoos, rubs or herbs, and others – dietary supplements. There are thousands of ways, but no immediate results.

1. The transition of COVID-19 causes stress for the immune system, which may result in hair loss
2. Fever, medication, and disease-induced vitamin and mineral deficiencies also contribute to this
3. In convalescents, increased hair loss is observed, usually 2-3 months after the infection has passed
4. If hair loss actually reduces the quality of our life, do not hesitate and seek help from a dermatologist. Because the longer we observe how much hair we lose every day, the more frightened we will get and stop thinking rationally
5. Meanwhile, the phenomenon of post-infection hair loss is by no means surprising. You can explain its cause and, more importantly, know what action to take
6. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

Why does COVID-19 transition trigger hair loss?

– The information on complications after infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus shows that approximately 20-25 percent. patients who contracted COVID-19 with varying degrees of severity of clinical symptoms report the problem of hair loss – says dermatologist Prof. dr hab. n. med. Magdalena Czarnecka-Operacz from the Department and Clinic of Dermatology Karol Marcinkowski in Poznań.

At the beginning, it is worth considering whether we are actually dealing with excessive hair loss, or are we just experiencing such an impression because we are weakened, still not feeling well, or maybe we focus excessively on looking for the effects of an infection. Remember that a hair has a certain life span and in its final stage, i.e. in the telogen period, approximately 18-20 percent. hair falls out naturally. It is assumed that the daily loss of about 100 hairs is the norm. Moreover, the loss of hair associated with its entry into the telogen phase is easy to determine, because in a healthy person, in the place of the hair that has fallen out, you can already see new hair growing back.

– In the case of COVID-19, approximately 2-3 months after recovery, we often see patients with massive hair loss – claims prof. Czarnecka-Operator. – Patients lose more than 100 of them a day, about 200-300, and sometimes much more, which can be shocking for them. Such an observation raises the question of why this is so.

The rest of the text is below the video.

Hair loss after COVID-19. Stress and fever – this weakens your hair

In fact, it is puzzling how an infection with a respiratory virus has such a long-term effect … It turns out that the mechanism of this process is quite complex.

– First of all, the biggest enemy of hair in relation to excessive hair loss is stress in a broad sense – says the expert. – It can be understood in many ways, but in the case of a viral infection it is about stress on the immune system. Looking at the topographic distance between the airways and the hair follicle, it is difficult to find a logical connection without careful reflection. Meanwhile, if we realize that the immune system regulates all processes and affects all organs, and the hair follicle is the smallest but extremely sensitive organ at our disposal, stress also affects this organ. Thus, virtually every viral infection is a huge stress for the hair follicle, so it can be expected that it will eventually become dysfunctional and it should definitely not surprise us.

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– In virtually every type of baldness, stress is an important etiopathological factor, and hair loss itself is also a source of stress for patients – adds Katarzyna Tomaszewska, MD, PhD from the Department of Psychodermatology, Medical University of Lodz. – Stress most often induces telogen effluvium, in which the direct cause of hair loss is the synchronization of the hair cycle. As a result of the stimulation of nerve fibers, oxidative stress (the formation of an excess of free radicals), the hair follicles pass to the resting phase – the telogen phase. The telogen period lasts for about three months, and there is usually increased hair loss just three months after the onset of stress. This is a thinning of the entire scalp area.

1. Use Birch liniment with sea buckthorn for atopy for falling out hair. They are applied at least half an hour before washing, and it is best to do it at night and wash your hair in the morning. During this time, betulin present in the liniment has a chance to work, which strengthens the hair and protects it against falling out.

– In addition, COVID-19 is associated with a high fever – adds prof. Czarnecka-Operator. – Increasing body temperature also has a negative impact on the functioning of our organs and systems, including the hair follicle. This is another factor that he will react to with dysfunction. Hair will fall out sooner than its life cycle would indicate. Additionally, we usually reduce fever with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; which are used in high doses and relatively chronically, because longer than one day.

If your hair is weakened and begins to fall out, try the Klimuszko Herbal Liquid Hair Treatment, available at a promotional price on Medonet Market. We also recommend BIO gentle shampoo with honey Propolia BeeYes, which strengthens the bulbs and supports the production of collagen.

Hair loss after COVID-19. Drugs also have an effect on hair

Probably few people are aware that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, or drugs that lower body temperature, such as paracetamol, have side effects in the form of a negative impact on the structure and function of the hair follicle.

– The next element characteristic of COVID-19 is embolism. Blood clots, blockages in the lungs and other organs – explains prof. Czarnecka-Operator. – To prevent them, we use drugs that reduce the risk of embolism. Dermatologists observe many skin problems that reflect the side effects of various classes of commonly used drugs. When it comes to the side effects of anticoagulants, they include, among others just excessive hair loss. Of course, in fighting the disease, we have reasons to use both antipyretics and anticoagulants, but we know that they can cause hair loss. So we already have three causes for this problem: stress, fever, and medication.

To support the scalp and prevent hair loss, reach for the EPTA HAIR Anti-Hair Loss Prevention Shampoo or the EPTA HAIR Anti-Loss Hair Lotion, which you can buy separately at medonetmarket.pl or in the EPTA HAIR Anti-Loss Hair Set.

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We also lack nutrients during COVID-19

Whoever thinks that this is the end is wrong. Well, people with COVID-19 not only generally feel bad, they may have diarrhea, nausea, but most of all they lose their appetite. Therefore, during the period of the disease, they do not provide the body with the right dose of nutrients – proteins, vitamins and microelements, which are necessary for hair regeneration.

– In conclusion, patients, and most often patients who are more sensitive to hair, complain about hair loss, especially on the top of the head. This is especially annoying as it is clearly visible when bending over. By worrying, ladies intensify the negative influence of emotions on the very basic clinical problem, the expert notes. – This multifactorial sequence of events ends with an additional stressful element, i.e. a feeling of lowering the quality of life.

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Hair and COVID-19. Other diseases at the time of infection may be the cause

Prof. Magdalena Czarnecka-Operacz emphasizes one more theme: – Hair loss may also result from additional symptoms of skin inflammation that have developed or intensified as a result of an infection. An example is seborrheic dermatitis, often affecting the scalp. It is reddened, it burns, it itches, and the hair becomes not only thinning, but also its structure changes. Excessive secretion of sebum makes them greasy quickly, which leads to frequent washing – patients can even wash their heads twice a day while observing massive hair loss. So it’s not just hair loss per se, but also as part of another skin condition that has worsened in the course of COVID-19, it must be taken into account. As is well known, the exacerbation of the symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis is easily triggered by stress stimulation. If a patient is in doubt as to whether the hair loss is the result of a coronavirus infection, or whether there has been an additional factor that has developed as a result of it, for example, the exacerbation of clinical symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis, it is necessary to evaluate a dermatologist.

If you have a problem with falling out hair, reach for Bioherba refreshing and moisturizing hair spray with aloe vera available on Medonet Market at a favorable price. The spray can be used both on wet hair right after washing it and on dry hair.

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Hair loss after COVID-19. Does it depend on the course of the disease?

Is there any correlation between the severity of the infection and hair loss? Evident correlation was not observed. The expert believes that these are very individual reactions. In addition, the baseline status of the patient must always be taken into account, i.e. whether he was suffering from other diseases before the infection, and if so, what underlying diseases.

It may happen that he or she is prone to developing the symptoms of alopecia, e.g. androgenic or plaque alopecia, has previously taken medications that stimulate hair loss, suffers from hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, which also affect the condition of the hair. COVID-19 can be eaten gently, and the effect of hair loss, superimposed on an ongoing underlying disease, can be disproportionately increased.

For hair loss, we recommend Intensively Strengthening Anti-Hair Loss Shampoo from Herbapol in Krakow. You can also buy the DermoACM OIL strengthening anti-hair loss shampoo, which not only strengthens the hair, but also protects the scalp from the harmful effects of external factors.

Hair loss and COVID-19 vaccines

Stress may also be the cause. Stress when taking the vaccine, stress from a pandemic, fear of vaccine-related side effects, etc.

– At the moment, we have a much lower level of fear tolerance – claims prof. Czarnecka-Operator. – Besides, the vaccine is supposed to affect the immune system in such a way as to initiate the development of tolerance, but nothing in life is for free. The immune system will react as if it were exposed to any stimulant that is also highly stressful. With individual tendencies to develop any side effects of drugs, and especially when the vaccine causes disease-like symptoms, such as fever, even for one, two, three days, and sweating, i.e. water loss, the general condition of the patient decreases. Moreover, if it does not eat properly for a few days, there will be no proper water and electrolyte balance, there will be deficiencies of vitamins, proteins and micronutrients, which are extremely important for maintaining the proper structure and function of the hair.

This means that vaccination, especially when there are side effects after vaccination, may result in hair loss, but certainly not as much as the disease itself.

– It should not shock us – says the professor. – You should be aware that such a situation may arise. The main thing is not to panic. Otherwise, we will look like a hamster on a carousel, one stressful stimulus will drive another one, and as a result, a powerful pool of cortisol will be released, which, as you know, has a very negative effect on the hair follicles.

How To Stop Hair Loss After COVID-19?

– In my practice, skin diseases are related to stress in one third of patients. The skin disease itself is also associated with stress and stigma – notes Dr. Katarzyna Tomaszewska. – That is why I often refer patients to a psychologist, and sometimes I support psychiatric consultations. In the psychological approach, anti-stress techniques are very important – first of all, support for relatives, talking about fears and emotions, breathing techniques, meditation, yoga practice or regular physical exertion.

– In the case of telogen effluvium, if there are no other comorbidities, the hair grows back after some time, because it is non-scarring alopecia – says Dr. Tomaszewska. – However, if in addition to hair loss, we observe chronic fatigue, stress, and the symptoms associated with the passing of the infection last for a long time, it is worth visiting a dermatologist – he adds.

The doctor will take a detailed interview, conduct a clinical examination. He differentiates the forms of baldness, assisted by a trichoscopic examination, i.e. he will examine the hair follicles with magnification to determine what type of baldness he is dealing with. He will also order a number of additional tests, such as morphology, iron levels, thyroid hormones, etc. Based on all this information, he will start appropriate treatment aimed at a specific disease.

– I notice increased hair loss not only in new patients after coronavirus infection, but also in those who previously had a problem with it – says trichologist Magdalena Godlewska from the Jeziorska & Godlewska Aesthetic Academy clinic in Łódź. – The number of people reporting to me with telogen hair loss increased by 20-30%. Women especially are terrified. For them, hair loss is very embarrassing, ladies are afraid to leave the house.

The trichologist suggests combating hair loss in two ways.

– You can support yourself with treatments – he advises. – Scalp massages, oxygen infusion, mesotherapy, i.e. micro-punctures, also work well with plasma and fibrin. The condition is that you can test for ANA1 antibodies. If the patient is anemic, the trichologist will not help, but mesotherapy with vitamins or biomimetic proteins is great. Circulation will also stimulate the combination of protein therapies with vitamins and microneedling. If the hair falls out a lot, I recommend a series of treatments, once every 10-14 days, but sometimes the effect is visible after the first one.

The second way to stimulate hair renewal is to act from the inside. It is about irrigation with structured water, such as from deep wells. Additionally, Magdalena Godlewska recommends minerals – zinc, copper, selenium, B vitamins, vitamin D and folic acid. However, when it comes to diet, you should give up simple sugars, and at the same time take care of the supply of unsaturated fatty acids to the body. And because the psyche plays such a big role in hair loss, let’s try to reduce stress in the first place.

It is also worth using strengthening and regenerating care cosmetics, e.g .:

1. ELESTABion® W FLOSLEK anti-hair loss shampoo regenerating the scalp and strengthening the bulbs,
2. Strengthening hair mask ELESTABion® W FLOSLEK, which protects hair against the harmful effects of external factors,
3. ELESTABion® W FLOSLEK anti-hair loss balm that improves the condition of the scalp, stimulates hair bulbs to grow and strengthens the hair,
4. Bioherba’s nettle and horsetail hair lotion, which has antioxidant properties, improves hair density and stimulates hair growth.

Also read:

1. How Much Does COVID-19 Treatment Cost At Home? Here is my kit
2. This is how the coronavirus kills. The doctor tells you what “fails” in the body
3. Dr. Fauci: The third dose protects against the Omicron. “The message remains clear”
4. Doctor Cautions: Omikron and Delta May Create a New Coronavirus Super Variant