TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — COVID-19 is having both long and short-term effects on patients and there is a strange one that is having an impact on your hair that you might not expect after battling COVID-19, it's hair loss.
KGUN 9 spoke to expert Dr. Bethany Bruzzi who runs the long-term COVID center at Banner University Medical Center. She says patients are having unusual side effects from COVID-19. The list can range from respiratory issues to rashes and stomach problems. Long COVID is also defined as having symptoms for more than 30 days or being a patient that improves, then gets sick all over again.
"Hair shedding is called 'Telogen Effluvium' and it does happen typically more often in women. What we will notice is that 2 to 3 months after an infection this phenomenon can happen. You can see this type of phenomenon with other infections or other times that you have fevers,” Bruzzi said.
The question is why exactly does hair loss occur? Experts say 25 to 30% of COVID patients can potentially have long term symptoms.
"It's believed to be an inflammatory process; what it does is it stops the hair from growing from one stage to the next. So, all the hair at the last stage that would normally shed, new hair is not continuing to grow. A person would notice that they would have less hair and all at once they notice more of their hair is shedding,” Bruzzi said.
Other reasons for hair loss include stress, hormonal issues, and vitamin deficiencies but if it is a new occurrence that has you worried go to the doctor. At this point research shows that hair loss can last anywhere from 6 to 18 months.
“For the hair loss piece, it is self-limited so it should progress on its own and there’s really no treatment. We are also finding out more about these long COVID outcomes and we do not know the end date for some of those,” Bruzzi said.
If you or someone you know is in who needs treatment for long-term COVID, you can call Banner University Medical Center at 844-549-1854.
