The Reason Why Your Hair Is Going Out Following COVID?

Recovering from a coronavirus infection can put the body under tremendous pressure. From the heart to the brain and the agonizing, persistent symptoms, the side effects of combating a COVID infection may be extremely severe.

Hair loss is one of the symptoms.

While hair loss is a common occurrence for many of us on a daily basis for a variety of causes including poor diet, environmental conditions, and stress, none compares to the experience of post-COVID hair loss. If you’ve had the illness and are losing insane amounts of hair every day, despite taking every precaution, you’ll understand what we’re talking about. Post-COVID hair loss is not a myth; it is a serious problem that many healed patients suffer. However, what is the precise rationale behind it? How can a virus induce hair loss? We make an attempt to explain.

Can combating COVID-19 have lingering consequences on your hair?

Testing negative is simply one victory in the struggle against coronavirus. As has been seen, there can be an onslaught of post-COVID consequences and long-lasting COVID symptoms that continue to affect patients.

While many of the symptoms are attributed to residual viral leftovers (such as bodily discomfort, weakness, coughing, and shortness of breath), significant hair loss can also be a complex symptom driven by the virus. Doctors are now noticing an increase in patients complaining of hair loss. Apart from skin problems such as dryness, watery eyes, and rashes, hair loss is a concerning side effect’ that many people experience following COVID-19 treatment. Additionally, it might be a distressing and perplexing side effect to face.

What causes hair loss following COVID?

While hair loss following COVID-19 is not a typical symptom, the extent to which recovered individuals describe their hair loss is currently the topic of clinical research worldwide.

Although hair loss as a side effect of COVID has only just been recognized, experts have proposed that a variety of viral infections and chronic health problems can have an influence on your hair health. The number one cause is stress caused by any of these diseases.

With the SARS-COV-2 virus, which has been shown to have a severe effect on the body’s essential organs, there can be a high degree of inflammation in the body, which can result in long-term adverse effects. Inflammation and acute illness can impair the development of hair follicles on the scalp, causing the hair to enter the ‘dead’ phase, requiring you to lose it.

Weakened, frail immunity (as the body works to repair the virus’s damage), as well as severe nutritional deficiencies (which can also cause digestive problems and vital organ damage if left untreated), are all possible explanations for the excessive hair loss many people are currently experiencing as a post-COVID-consequence.

Most notably, a deficiency of Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D, which are necessary for optimal hair and skin health, can also contribute to severe hair loss.

Is this the same thing as normal hair loss?

Generally, hair loss is something that cannot be entirely avoided and affects everyone. Typically, a person loses up to 100 strands of hair every day, which can be attributed to a variety of factors and genetic make-up. Hair loss can be caused by a variety of factors, including stress, poor food, environmental circumstances, the hair products you use, water quality, and age. COVID sufferers, on the other hand, have a much different and more intense experience. Post-COVID hair loss is classified as ‘telogen effluvium,’ which is not quite hair loss but rather hair shedding. Fever or another sickness (including COVID) can actually accelerate the shedding process.

Telogen effluvium, which is largely caused by stress and associated inflammation, is referred to as a rapid beginning of hair loss, which means that it may affect anybody, including those who are young and healthy and not predisposed to hair loss. Additionally, some physicians classify this as a type of ‘shock’ that the body endures when suffering from fever and COVID symptoms for an extended length of time (14-21 days). This may be why so many patients who have received COVID, particularly during the second wave, have reported experiencing significant hair loss as a serious side effect.

According to experts, Telogen effluvium can be extremely severe in compared to normal hair loss. In other words, if an individual typically loses up to 100 hair strands per day, the condition exacerbated by COVID inflammation can result in an individual losing up to 300-400 hair strands each day.

Is this possible in both moderate and severe cases?

While there is little clarity regarding who may be affected by this grave complication, excessive hair loss may be more prevalent in those who have had a moderate or severe case of COVID-19, as they may have a greater likelihood of battling complications, increased inflammation, and poor dietary problems during their illness or infectious phase. Again, as with COVID instances, some with lesser types of disease may not notice any symptoms or recover rapidly, while others may continue to experience symptoms months after testing negative.

Bear in mind that even a single COVID symptom, such as a fever, can be extremely difficult to tolerate, and therefore anybody who has COVID-19 may be at risk of developing Telogen effluvium.

Apart from hair loss, inflammation and nutritional inadequacies can result in a loss of hair quality, brittleness, dryness, and decreased density in certain individuals.

How long does the adverse effect last following COVID-19?

Hair loss is believed to begin a month or two after a person has recovered from COVID-19. While the condition may be managed to some extent, doctors believe that the phase of severe and intense hair loss following COVID-19 may last just 6-9 months.

Is hair health related to immunological health?

Our immune system is a wonderful controller of a variety of bodily processes. While it is largely connected with one’s health or persistent susceptibility to sickness, our immune system may also provide insight into hair health. In general, any immune system imbalance can initiate or worsen hair problems. Thus, with a decrease in immunity and other causative variables, there might be some amount of hair damage, or post-COVID, when the body’s immune is still healing, hair loss can be frequent.

Are there any dietary restrictions or supplements that must be adhered to?

One of the most often recommended recommendations for maintaining excellent hair health and avoiding hair loss is to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle. While this may be accurate and effective in some cases, when it comes to Telogen effluvium or rapid onset hair loss, nutrition alone may not be enough.

According to experts, if a healed patient continues to experience hair loss and severe hair fall months after following a proper healing diet, seeking medical counsel should be considered. A biotin and amino acid-rich diet would be most beneficial for someone with severe problems. Additionally, there are several great vitamins and additives that may be added to one’s diet to alleviate the severe adverse effect. Of course, there is something to consider after consulting with a physician, ideally a dermatologist. COVID patients who have recovered must be careful in instilling a diet rich in nutritional groups and antioxidants that can help improve immunity and alleviate specific symptoms of concern.

Apart from dietary suggestions, doctors often prescribe the following adjustments to help better deal with and manage the stressful complication:

-The use of gentle, chemical-free shampoos and hair care products (paraben- and sulfate-free).

-Avoid excessive oiling or conditioning of the scalp.

-Using a comb with a broad tooth that is gentle on the hair follicles

-Nourish the scalp via a nutritious diet and healthy living practices.