Hair loss POST-COVID is common
cant stress, they can undergo a process that causes temporary hair shedding, Waldman said.
“The body says, ‘I’m under so much stress, I don’t want to focus on growing long hair anymore,’ so it goes to focus on getting better, so you get an increase in shedding hair,” Waldman explained.
She said it almost always resolves itself once the infection gets better or the stress is reduced. “The best treatment is actually just waiting. It’s time and reassurance and counseling that it will get better on your own,” she said.
She said patients experiencing hair loss should just wait for it to get better and make sure they are eating well and getting enough protein, iron and zinc. She advised against using Rogaine or other hair regrowth treatments.
Most people see hair shedding two to three months after coronavirus infection, and it can last for months before it stops, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Patients likely see their hair regain its normal fullness within six to nine months.
One study published with the National Institutes of Health looked at 39 patients with POST-COVID hair loss and researchers conducted a hair pull test to determine the severity. All of the patients had excessive hair loss two to three months after infection.
Public figures such as actress Alyssa Milano have been public about their experience with hair shedding following coronavirus. Milano in August 2020 posted a video on Twitter brushing her hair and urged people to wear a mask.
Coronavirus vaccines have been shown to cause fever and mild illness, but Waldman said it would be “very unusual” for the shot to cause hair loss, and it is not something that she has been in patients.
Dr. Shira Doron, infectious disease physician at Tufts Medical Center said hair loss following coronavirus vaccination has not been detected in any surveillance.