Both COVID-19 and stress are the top causes of thinning hair. The combination of these two conditions is especially hard on hair health. Once a surprising side effect of COVID-19, hair loss is now a well-known condition related to the virus.
As researchers continue to study the long-term effects of COVID, doctors have seen an uptick in shock hair loss post-COVID, especially in cases with a fever or other complications, which can cause extensive hair shedding to occur. Studies conclude that the infection is now a frequent and common cause of acute telogen effluvium (ATE), a type of non-scarring hair loss.
COVID-19 and Hair Loss
In a study published in the Irish Journal of Medical Science, patients who were evaluated with a diagnosis of ATE also had a confirmed diagnosis of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. All patients experienced excessive hair shedding within two to three months post-infection, a condition now recognized as covid telogen effluvium.
There is good news, however. COVID-19 hair loss is actually hair shedding, as defined by the American Academy of Dermatology Association, which is typically a temporary hair loss issue. Acute hair loss can be a normal side effect after certain illnesses and fever, which is a common symptom of COVID-19.
In a matter of 8-12 weeks after a fever-related illness, many patients will notice what appears to be hair loss, but it is actually shedding. The shedding of extra hairs is triggered when illness or high fever forces more hair follicles into the shedding phase of the hair growth cycle at the same time.
It can be alarming to see clumps of hair in the shower or during brushing. And while regrowth should eventually return, it can take six to nine months or longer for hair after covid to return to pre-COVID fullness and density.
Stress and Hair Loss
A secondary vicious cycle can occur when dealing with post-covid hair loss and mental health. Hair loss is stressful and can lead to further thinning.
HairClub medical advisor, Dr. Angie Phipps1, is a board-certified hair restoration surgeon and star of TLC’s hit television show ‘Bad Hair Day’ featuring real people desperately seeking help with hair loss. Hair loss is also “an extremely significant mental and emotional health issue,” said Dr. Phipps, who is based in Raleigh, N.C., and practices with Bosley, the sister company to HairClub.
“Hair loss can absolutely be life threatening if it takes too big of a toll on a person’s mental health and healthcare providers need to take it seriously,” said Dr. Phipps in a story that explores the connection between mental health and hair loss. “It isn’t usually until people feel that they have exhausted all other options before they seek surgical hair restoration.”
Researchers have identified alopecia as a distressing traumatic event in anxiety and depression. Women who experience high levels of emotional stress are 11 times more likely to experience hair loss than those who did not report high-stress levels, as reported in a study by dermatology clinical fellows and doctors affiliated with the NHS Barts Health Royal London Hospital in the U.K. And as many as half of women will experience noticeable diffuse hair loss, according to Cleveland Clinic researchers.
HairClub has a Custom Solution for All Types of Hair Loss
as every stage and type of hair loss is unique to your hair and scalp, HairClub hair health experts have a customized hair loss solution for each. The first step in treating hair loss is to schedule a complimentary initial consultation at HairClub to understand your hair loss type and stage.
During this consultation at a HairClub Center, a hair loss expert will perform a comprehensive analysis of your scalp and hair. Our imaging technology, called TrichoView®, as seen in this video, magnifies images of the surface of your scalp by 50 times, allowing consultants to view the hair density beyond what the naked eye can see. In a private room, they’ll compare healthy growing areas to thinning hair areas and broadcast a digital scan for you to see on screen in real-time. This technology helps you and your HairClub team to make informed decisions, and together, choose a customized hair solution that best fits your life and desired hairstyle.
All in This Together
For more than half a million HairClub clients, their local HairClub center has been a port in the storm of hair loss. There is always a path forward to getting your hair back, from hair regrowth options to regrow and strengthen hair, to complete hair replacement systems like Xtrands+®.
Belonging to HairClub also provides an added layer of support, in the shared experience of going from hair loss to hair gain. HairClub clients find value in being part of a community of compassion and understanding. For our hair loss experts, working for HairClub is deeply personal.
Many of our dedicated providers are also HairClub clients. They have a unique understanding of how hair loss can impact someone’s life, both physically and emotionally.
Find your nearest HairClub location today and book your complimentary consultation to address your hair loss or hair thinning.
1Dr. Phipps is a physician of Bosley Medical Group, P.C. and she is not a HairClub or Bosley, Inc. employee.
TrichoView® is a registered trademark with the USPTO used with permission.
