If there is something that the Coronavirus is teaching us, it is to expect the unexpected. Months after recovering from the virus, many people find that their hair is falling out in large clumps. But, this hair loss is not so unexpected.

It is believed that when the body is attacked by a virus or bacterial infection or trauma, the first thing to go is the non-essential part, i.e. the hair.

Fever is a common symptom of the Coronavirus, and fever or illness can force more hairs into the shedding phase. When a body is fighting a virus, it diverts nutrients to more vital organs, leading to excessive hair loss.
Even if someone has not developed fever due to the virus, he or she may still see hair shedding. This is due to emotional stress and anxiety. More people are losing hair, in general, owing to the overall cascade of stress that the pandemic has induced, including job loss, restrictions, and isolation.

There are three phases in a hair’s life cycle. Up to 90% of follicles at any time are in a growing phase, 5% are in the resting phase, and up to 10% are shedding. But, when there’s a shock to the system, like emotional distress or a high fever, the body goes into fight-or-flight mode. During such a phase, the body focuses only on essential functions. Since hair growth is not as essential, it shifts the hair follicles into the telogen or resting phase of the growth cycle, which leads to hair shedding.

When our body undergoes some stress mechanism, our hair ends up in the resting stage, and eventually, after 2-3 months, it starts shedding off. So, it usually starts 2-3 months after a person has tested positive. Even though the virus itself is gone, the body is still in a state of trauma and repairing itself.

This is the mechanism of Telogen Effluvium (TE). Normally, a person can lose up to 50-100 hair per day, but in TE, the person may lose 300-400 hair per day.
Patients can suffer up to 4 months of hair loss. It can be extensive and severe, and people have known to lose up to 30-40% of their hair. However, it is a temporary phenomenon. The hair regrows with time.

It may also be due to heavy medicines taken during hospitalization. Patients with Coronavirus, due to a high inflammatory response, have increased levels of cortisol which indirectly increases the dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels, putting the hair into the telogen phase.

As stated earlier, doctors suggest that this is temporary. When the stress ends, the excessive hair shedding stops. In fact, the hair will grow again in the next 6 months in most patients.

There are certain remedies suggested by doctors that one can follow.
(i) Have a nutritious diet. It should have a lot of proteins and micronutrients.
Vitamin D, B12, C, and Zinc are essential for hair recovery.
(ii) Exercise every day as it helps with blood circulation. It secretes endorphins (the happy hormones) which enhance hair regrowth in the body.
(iii) Yoga. Meditation. Stress management.
(iv) It is advisable to take hair-growth supplements which contain amino acids, antioxidants, and multivitamins.
(v) Have a full night’s sleep.
(vi) Avoid blow-drying the hair unnecessarily or tying a tight ponytail or braid.

A key point to note here is that there is no evidence yet that the coronavirus causes excessive hair shedding. Doctors and researchers say that the physical and emotional stress that the Coronavirus puts on the body is the cause behind Telogen Effluvium. TE is a reversible hair loss condition, hence patients need not worry too much. In case the hair shedding is beyond their understanding, they should definitely consider a hair-expert.
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