After covid, my hair is falling out. Is it falling out for good? Is there a cure?
How does hair fall out after COVID-19?
The problem usually doesn't occur right away. According to a survey of 128 patients from different countries, about half of them started losing their hair in the first month after being infected with the coronavirus, and the rest started losing their hair 12 weeks later (by the way, this variation is unusual, more on this below).
Often the hair loss is more or less even, and not in one area of the head. Some people start to suspect something is wrong when they tuck them into a ponytail and notice that the rubber band has to be tightened tighter, while others pay attention to the fact that there is more hair than usual in the bathroom drain, on the comb or on the pillow. We have not come across cases in the scientific literature that are so severe that a wig is required, but it does occasionally happen with telogenic hair loss.
What causes hair loss?
DVT can be associated with a variety of things: sudden weight loss, poor diet, childbirth, withdrawal of oral contraceptives and other changes in hormone levels, surgery, a past illness, especially one with fever (such as COVID-19). DVT can even be triggered by severe stress. This may be why, during the pandemic, even those who avoided being infected with the coronavirus began to complain to doctors. And in a third of cases, the cause of DVT cannot be identified.
How can hair loss be stopped?
Essentially, with DVT, the hair follicle is ahead of the curve within a single cycle. In the vast majority of people, the cycle recovers on its own - you just have to wait. Usually, hair falls out for three to six months, and then new hairs take its place. After about another three months, your hair is as thick as it was before the disease. Recovery may be faster after COVID-19: In one study, most of the 30 participants stopped losing hair in less than two months, and some in just 12 days. If your hair has been falling out for longer than six months, the cause is most likely unresolved. It's often stressful, so if, after experiencing COVID-19, you see hair on your pillow or comb, try not to think about it or worry about it.
A therapist, dermatologist or trichologist (hair specialist) will help to rule out other possible causes of hair loss: medications, hormonal imbalance, lack of any substances. Sometimes doctors prescribe drugs to stimulate hair growth, but most likely this will not be necessary. Vitamins should also not be taken without a prescription (hair can fall out and from their overabundance).
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