Telogen effluvium is stressor-induced. It appears as a general thinning of hair throughout the scalp.
The type of biological trauma that arises from a fever causes hair follicles to become stuck in the telogen phase for extended periods of time.
Unfortunately, the medical community lacks additional data about how COVID may induce telogen effluvium, or whether compounding traumas are occurring. Initial research suggests the physical trauma caused by the virus places undue stress on the body. The body prioritizes its energy on restoring more life-critical organs, such as the lungs and heart. As a result, the hair takes a hit.
Covid can cause long-term lung damage as well. This can lead to a decline on tissue perfusion, which results in a reduction in oxygen flow to the scalp. Many long Covid patients suffer from chronic telogen effluvium.
There may also be potential correlations between vaccination and hair loss. Some reports documented complaints about people experiencing hair loss after receiving their COVID-19 vaccinations. Published research through the UK’s NIH (National Institutes of Health) suggest that patients with specific types of hair loss such as alopecia areata may experience a recurrence of symptoms after receiving the vaccine, even if they hadn’t had an episode in many years.
Top all that off with the mental stress the pandemic brought to us, and you’ve got a perfect recipe for hair loss, especially for people who already had issues with hair loss from androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness or female pattern loss). It’s also bad news for people who already suffered from hormonal imbalances, or those who were already genetically predisposed to hair loss.
Fortunately, several treatment options are available for people who are suffering from COVID-related hair loss.
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How long does telogen effluvium usually last?
Normal telogen effluvium usually lasts no more than six months.
If you are still losing hair after six months, contact your nearest MAXIM clinic right away. We may be able to slow or stop the progression of your hair loss before you’ll need hair transplants.
What does telogen effluvium hair look like?
The hair looks thin and fine, with a white bulb at the end that was in the scalp. Your hair coverage may be less dense than usual, and you may lose hair in large clumps.
The good news? All your hair follicles are still present, even if the hair has fallen out. As long as the follicles are present, hair can regrow. In addition, we can use several techniques to strengthen and rejuvenate them, which can ensure you get your hair back even faster.
Don’t get caught in the Covid hair loss loop, where your stressed body sheds hair, so you get emotionally stressed, so you in turn shed more hair. Just get help from our team if you need it. We’ve known about stress as a hair loss factor even longer than we’ve known about Covid!
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Treatment Goals
If your hair loss is Covid-related, then your clinician is likely to focus on improving density and regrowth while strengthening your body’s ability to produce hair.
Specifically, we aim to accomplish the following goals:
- Elongation of the growth cycle
- Shortening of the telogen cycle
- Formation of new blood vessels, collagen, and elastin
- Helping the body restore he hair follicle
- Improving the patency of existing blood vessels
For many, this will mean focusing on nonsurgical hair restoration and treatment options meant to support hair health. It may also mean recommending certain vitamins, supplements, topical compounds, serums, and injectables which can strengthen and nourishing the hair follicle.
For those who require a more aggressive approach, a hybrid method meant to strengthen existing hair follicles combined with a FUE or FUT hair transplant can mean the restoration of a full head of hair.
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What vitamins are good for hair loss after Covid?
Vitamin B7, or Biotin, can help if Covid has caused you to develop a B7 deficiency. To determine if that’s the case, you’ll need to get your nutrient levels tested. Biotin is one of four vitamins whose defiicencies have been associated with hair loss.
The others are riboflavin, folate, and vitamin B12. You can take supplements to increase these in your diet after Covid-19, too.
Vitamin D is also helpful in developing keratin, and that one’s easy to obtain. Spend some time outside and enjoy the sunshine!
While you’re at it, you can choose certain foods to help strengthen your hair. Green leafy vegetables, avocados, and foods rich in omega-3s can all provide a few vital nutrients.
Regardless, vitamins alone may not be enough to reverse Covid hair loss. If you don’t see any improvement, make an appointment for a consultant with a MAXIM hair specialist as soon as possible.
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Will Covid hair loss grow back?
For the vast majority of people, Covid hair loss will grow back just fine, without need for additional intervention. Yet a significant enough portion of people don’t see their hair grow back after Covid to make it clear that some will need the kinds of services we provide here at MAXIM.
Don’t be afraid to seek a consultation if you think the problem is not going away. We offer a wide variety of services and solutions, and will be happy to help you get your hair back to normal again.
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Who is a good candidate for COVID hair loss treatment?
If you’re free from the virus and otherwise healthy you are a great candidate for hair restoration treatments. If you have an auto-immune disease or other disorders, your options may be limited. Speak to a MAXIM clinician to learn which services may be right for you.
Schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our hair restoration experts by calling (802) 370-3227, or by completing a contact form.