COVID-19 affects the body in different ways. Infected individuals report feeling lightheaded, hazy and feverish. Others report an inability to taste or smell. Some even felt like they were in a different dimension.
Recently, a new alarming symptom garnered some attention. Interestingly enough, some people report excessive hair loss after contracting the virus.
So, can you lose hair after getting sick? Experts say yes. COVID-19 leads to a condition known as acute telogen effluvium. Acute telogen effluvium is the medical term for non-scarring hair loss, meaning the hair follicle stays intact but the hair falls out.
To be completely honest, this isn’t completely unheard of or too shocking. Losing hair after an illness is completely normal, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Most people notice shedding after a fever because the body underwent tremendous stress. It’s extremely common.
Other aspects of the pandemic can also lead to hair loss. Being sick, missing work and living through a pandemic can emotionally and psychologically affect individuals, which can all lead to bundles of hair clogging up your bathroom drain.
In a Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland study, researchers found that all 39 patients evaluated experienced excessive hair loss two to three months after the infection. This means most people can expect to lose some hair after their infection — and that’s okay!
Good news exists under all of this.
Like your COVID-19 symptoms, shedding won’t last forever. And if you lose hair because of an illness or due to stress, your hair regains its full volume again after six to nine months.
You might lose a few strands, but not all is lost. Luckily, the condition is temporary, so do what you can to destress and to take care of yourself.
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