THE ESSENTIAL
- People who have suffered from an infectious disease or from significant stress can also have as a sequel a significant loss of hair in the weeks or months that follow.
- If there is no improvement in hair health after six months, you should talk to your doctor.
- There were 19,087 new Covid-19 contaminations in 24 hours in France this Friday, September 9, according to Public Health France, an increase of more than 16% in seven days.
The more the years and the months pass, the better we know about Covid-19 and its side effects in the short, medium and long term. Among these, some patients have observed hair loss in the weeks following infection with the virus.
25% of patients
“This phenomenon affects about 25% of people who have contracted (the) covid-19, explains Doctor Isabelle Rousseaux, dermatologist and member of the National union of dermatologists-venerologists to the media 20 Minutes. Hair loss occurs as a result of the disease, after recovery. It is a sequel, or a persistent symptom observed in people suffering from a long Covid”.
Hair loss”is quite commonly observed in patients who have contracted infectious diseases causing high fever, intense fatigue and great stress, says Doctor Isabelle Rousseaux. This is also the case for many women after giving birth.”.
Hair cycle disruption
The Covid-19 virus causes a disruption of the hair cycle called telogen effluvium, which manifests itself in significant non-localized hair loss. “Normally, the hair goes through three phases and when everything is going well, the majority of the hair is in the growth phase, a small part is in the resting phase and a minority part is in the falling phase, continues Doctor Isabelle Rousseaux. In practice: after the growth phase, which lasts between three and six years, the hair stops growing and goes into a resting phase, before falling out”. But everything is turned upside down during a Covid-19 infection.
But don’t worry if you’re suffering from this aftermath of Covid-19, the massive drop shouldn’t last long and shouldn’t show. Indeed, since the loss is not localized, there should be no hole on your scalp.
three to four months
“The exacerbated hair loss phase generally lasts three to four months, then the hair cycle returns to its normal rhythm and regrowth resumes, insists Doctor Isabelle Rousseaux. On the other hand, the concern when you have long hair is that the regrowth will take time before recovering the original length. We may have a somewhat long interval during which we will have the impression of having less hair mass“.
What to do to help her hair? “The best way to help your hair recover is to nourish it from within by eating a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of protein and vitamin C.”, explained in 2021 the trichologist (hair health specialist) Mark Blake, in the magazine Glamour UK. Finally, as stress also influences hair, taking care of yourself can have a beneficial impact on reducing hair loss and improving hair regrowth!
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