The attached study published in the Lancet regarding long-term clinical effects of recovered COVID-19 patients confirms what we have seen in our office over the past several months - increased rates of hair loss.
In addition to fatigue, muscle weakness, altered smell, insomnia, and depression, hair loss affects 22% of the patients surveyed in this published trial.
I believe the vast majority are a telogen effluvium - a disruption in our hair cycle that can occur with any phyisical, emotional or psychological stress on our body. It typically presents 3-6 months after the stress (in this case COVID-19) and can result in a dramatic loss of hair.
The good news is most patients can recover the majority of lost hair over 6-12 months. Minoxidil, PRP, LLLT and finasteride can help speed up the recovery.
Any patient with sudden hair loss should be evaluated by their dermatologist to help establish the underlying cause and help create a treatment plan.
https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0140-6736(20)32656-8
You Might Also Enjoy...
These are the first two CME articles on hair transplantation to ever be published in the leading peer reviewed journal in our field. I am proud to be one of its authors.
During the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) virtual meeting experience, I was happy to participate in this very informative session on innovative therapeutic tools to slow hair loss and increase hair growth.
A new paper was published in the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy outlining the pros and cons of elliptical strip surgery (FUT) vs. follicular unit extraction (FUE).
Below is our written information handout for patients considering oral minoxidil.
A recent case report shows patients using cancer medication had restored pigment to their hair color as a side effect of the medication.
Interesting article published in the New York Times today regarding use of oral minoxidil for the treatment of hair loss.
