Health Professionals See Hair Loss As Another Side Effect Of The Ongoing COVID19 Pandemic

Health professionals have informed that they have come across many patients with the issue of excessive hair loss these days. They fear that it might be linked to the ongoing COVID19 pandemic. Doctors say that excessive hair loss can affect both people who have been diagnosed with the infection and those who have not fallen sick yet. A visible amount of hair loss occurs after a stressful experience such as an ailment or an emotional trauma. Now, health experts have revealed that many COVID19 patients, who are recovering, have been suffering from excessive hair loss. Experts say that it is not linked to virus infection rather it is an outcome of psychological stress to fight off the virus. Many people, who have not been infected, as well have been dealing with hair loss due to emotional trauma caused by losing jobs, financial strain, or losing loved ones amid the pandemic.

Health experts reveal that they have not seen such kind of hair loss cases before the pandemic hit the world. In a previous survey on post-COVID19 symptoms, around 427 people out of 1567 members of the survivors’ group had said that they dealt with an unusual hair loss. This survey was conducted by the Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Emma Guttman Yassky, future chairperson of the dermatology department at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine has said that she has seen many frontline workers and her hospital staff dealing with unusual hair loss. Doctors claim that for some patients the symptoms can be temporary but it can continue for months. This condition can be called as ‘telogen Effluvium’ as well. In this condition, people tend to shed more hair than usual 50 to 100 strands per day. It normally occurs months after a stressful experience or emotional trauma. It is caused by the tripping of the hair growth system. People diagnosed with this condition shed more hair than the growth of the hair.

Many women deal with this condition as well after the pregnancy, which lasts for six months. However, doctors say, if the stressful situation continues, many people can be diagnosed with chronic shedding condition as well. The other hair loss condition is called alopecia areata. In this condition immune system starts attacking hair follicles, leaving bald patched on the scalp or beard. Dr. Guttman has said that she has seen an increase in people dealing with this condition. It is caused by aggravated psychological stress. People, who have been infected with the COVID19 virus, have elevated immune system molecules to fight the infection, which might be the reason behind such people developing conditions like alopecia areata. Health experts inform that this condition gets better on its own. However, steroid injections as well are used in severe conditions.