July 27, 2020 - Hair loss has become another emergent consequence of the novel coronavirus as COVID-19 patients battle symptoms for months at a time.

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn’t recognize hair loss as a symptom of COVID-19, more than 27% of at least 1,100 poll respondents in the Survivor Corps Facebook group reported hair loss.

Dr. Michele S. Green, a dermatologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said there’s been an influx of patients seeking treatment for hair loss during quarantine and after she reopened her office. 

“Patients have literally come in with bags of hair looking like a full head of hair was in the bag,” she said. “They all have similar stories. That they were extremely sick with high fevers and have never been that sick in their entire lives.”

Doctors say hair loss may not be caused by the virus itself but by the physical shock patients’ bodies experience as they battle high fevers and other intense symptoms.

Telogen effluvium, the medical term for this condition, can be triggered by surgery, major physical trauma, major psychological stress, high fever, severe infection or other illness, extreme weight loss, extreme change in diet, abrupt hormonal changes or iron deficiency, according to the Harvard Medical School.

It occurs when the body experiences a shock to the system forcing the hair to jump from the growing phase to the resting phase and then the shedding phase after a couple of months, said Dr. Shilpi Khetarpal, a dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

She said this is why most COVID-19 patients usually experience hair loss a couple of weeks to months after they recover from the initial "shock" that triggered the telogen effluvium.

A patient can lose up to 50% of hair from this condition, however, it is temporary as shedding decreases for the following six months until hair returns to normal thickness. 

Experts can't confirm why some patients experience hair loss and others don't, but doctors speculate some people may be genetically predisposed to the condition, Khetarpal said. 

She also urges patients experiencing hair loss to manage their stress as it can worsen the problem. 

"Hair is our identity, it’s a huge part of our culture and the shedding itself can cause a lot of stress," Khetarpal said. "That can contribute to the problem and make things worse." 

There are no other telogen effluvium symptoms besides hair loss. So, if patients experience any flaking, scaling, inflammation, or rough patches, experts urge them to consult their doctor as there could be something else wrong.

This article is from USAToday

​July 22, 2020 -- Since getting COVID-19 in March, Juli Fisher, a travel nurse who was caring for COVID patients in an assisted living facility, has dealt with a long list of crippling symptoms herself. Most were ones she expected because they were in line with well-known symptoms. But one was more surprising to her when it emerged several weeks into her illness -- hair loss.

“I started noticing gobs of hair coming out when I took a shower. At first I thought it was that I was using a cheaper shampoo, but it soon became obvious, as more and more came out, that this was something else,” she says.

Once she joined a Facebook group for other “Long Haulers” -- people whose symptoms aren’t going away after a few weeks -- she realized she wasn’t alone. “When I saw others had it, I realized, oh, this is COVID-related, too.”

Rachel Baum of Saratoga Springs, NY, has had COVID symptoms for more than 100 days. Her hair is falling out, too.

“I’ve lost so much hair that I thought my thyroid was out of whack. I went to see my endocrinologist, and she said my numbers were fine. So it has to be COVID or my advanced age of 64, or a combination,” she says. “I have three different wigs in my Amazon shopping cart right now, just in case I need them.”

The link between hair loss and COVID is just starting to be reported and recognized in research. Sara Hogan, MD, a health sciences clinical instructor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, says this timeline makes sense because hair loss often happens to patients 3 to 5 months after a stressful illness or experience.

COVID and Hair Loss

The American Academy of Dermatology says hair loss can be caused by genetics, age, hormonal imbalances, other health conditions, medication and, of course, stress. Experts say the type most COVID-19 patients are having is called telogen effluvium, a temporary form caused by a physical or emotional stress, high fever, illness or weight loss of more than 20 pounds -- symptoms common with the virus. Telogen effluvium involves shedding all over the head -- not just on the crown like male pattern baldness -- and it’s far more than the 50 to 100 hairs people typically lose daily.

“There are three common cycles in hair’s life cycle. Up to 90% at any time are growing, 5% are in a resting phase, and up to 10% are shedding. When you have a major stress event or shock, up to 50% of your hair can sprint ahead to the shedding phase, Hogan says.

“That’s usually a delayed process because of the way the hair growth cycle is,” she says. “So you can have this major event, and then it can be about 3 to 5 months later that all of a sudden, you start to notice the shedding. And we're in the time frame for that with regard to the pandemic.”

This type of hair loss is linked to “severe illness, autoimmune disorders, and people who have a stroke or heart attack,” says Gregory A. Poland, MD, an infectious disease expert at Mayo Clinic and spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. “This type of hair loss happens when people are immensely stressed.”

Hogan says she expected to see hair loss emerge at this point in the global pandemic. She is now seeing new coronavirus patients every week who have hair loss for the first time. “People are getting sick, losing jobs, and dealing with a lot of uncertainty related to their income and well-being, and I knew that it was going to be significant,” she says.

“Hair loss can occupy a large amount of someone’s mind share because our hair is something we see,” she says. “It’s often part of our identity and how others perceive us. So when patients start losing hair, especially for the first time, they often come to me very upset.”

Experts say another issue could be making the problem worse. COVID arrived in the U.S. at a time when many people already have seasonal shedding known as the “spring shed,” which happens between March and May. “Some people do shed more hair in the spring, and we don’t exactly know why. Some think it's related to a natural, seasonal cycle, and others think it emerges several months after the stress of the winter holidays,” Hogan explains.

Experts say it’s hard to know why some patients recovering from COVID lose hair and others don’t. Hogan says that may be related to genetics. “Hair loss happens to people who are predisposed, and we don't know who that is. There’s just something about some people’s genetic composition and hair cycle that makes it more likely for them.”

What to Do About Hair Loss

​While hair loss can affect your self-confidence and self-image, experts urge people not to be embarrassed or try to handle it on their own. Instead, reach out to a health professional. A primary care doctor or dermatologist can rule out other causes like medications, a lack of nutrients, or hormone imbalances, and they can track your daily sleep, exercise, and nutrition habits to see if improvements in those areas could help.

Hogan says you can also talk with your doctor to see if a high-protein diet, more vitamin D, or supplements like biotin would help. Beyond that, she says doctors can help you find out if your stress has triggered anxiety or depression that needs treatment. Sometimes, she says, it also just helps for patients to hear from a medical professional that while hair loss can become a chronic problem, this type usually clears up.

“Most of the time, it does improve,” Hogan says. “I think it’s important to tell patients that in most cases, this is not a permanent hair disorder. It will likely get better within 4 to 6 months. That reassurance and knowledge often does help.”

“This type of hair loss does tend to improve over time,” Poland agrees. “That can be variable -- some may see all their hair return, and for others it may be more spotty. But usually, as the medical illness resolves, hair tends to regrow.”

In the meantime, Hogan urges patients to try to ease their stress if they can. “I oftentimes will discuss stress reduction strategies with my patients,” she says. “I feel like it's crucial, especially if this is stress-induced hair loss, to encourage things that may help their hair and are also good for their overall being, like yoga [or] mindfulness meditation. There is a very holistic approach you can take to optimize your body and health for hair growth.”

If those things don’t work, there are medicines, like minoxidil, that may help. The medicine, which is applied to the scalp, can help regrow hair in some, but Hogan says patients need to research how this medication works before starting it.

“I give patients the option of using minoxidil because it can help with acute shedding, but it’s important to stress that because of its mechanism, patients can actually experience increased shedding when they start using it and when they stop,” she says.

Beyond that, Hogan says, all you can do is practice patience. She tells patients that it took several months for the hair loss to happen, and it will take some time for the problem to go away.

“I am reminding patients that hair is not essential for your long-term survival,” she says. “What really matters is that you made it through a very stressful situation, and you and your body are overcoming that. So barring any systemic issue, you can expect that it should regrow. You just have to give it some time.”

Fisher is still waiting. After more than 100 days dealing with a variety of COVID symptoms, hair loss remains one of them. But, she says, while it is distressing to see it continue to fall out in the shower, it’s not her main concern right now.

“I have super thick hair, so I’m lucky in that way. I haven’t seen a specialist or talked with a doctor about it. I still don’t even have the energy to get up and walk around unless I have oxygen, and I'm scared that I'm never going to work again. I need to figure out what’s going on with my heart and lungs first before worrying about my hair. As upsetting as it is, at this point, maybe I’ll have to start buying scarves or something. But hair loss needs to stay pretty far down on my agenda right now.”

This article is from WebMD.com

Well, here we are are again.
​
I hope you are finding new and creative ways to fill your days.  I’ve been keeping up with a few of you on Facebook and Instagram and have really enjoyed following your adventures.  It’s not quite the same as hearing it from you directly, but it is the next best thing to being there. Quirky as that’s sounds, it’s true.

I had so many good intentions of things I’d hoped to accomplish and get done when we were first quarantined.  Did any of them get accomplished?  Hmm?  Maybe?  I sure as heck wasn’t successful at crocheting.  It was funny (before it got frustrating) at how uncoordinated I was with that crochet hook. I’m going to blame it on the yarn. Yeah, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.  😜

The first month of quarantine my focus was to be prepared for when the salon would be able to reopen. I wanted to make sure I was doing all I could to keep you safe and protected. My front hallway was stacking up with cleaning & disinfecting solutions, a pressurized sprayer for the disinfecting solution, masks (for you), cutting capes (a clean one for each service), neck strips, an IR thermometer gun (for when you enter the salon), paper towels & wipes, handsfree hand sanitizer and soap dispensers (no touching), and bins for clean and soiled items (everything is single use or disinfected after each service).  All of this preparation was, again, because I want to make sure I’m keeping you as safe as possible while you’re in the salon.  I’ve been able to take some of those supplies to the salon so my hallway isn’t quite as “cluttered”.  When we are eventually allowed to reopen I think, no, I AM ready for you.

I’m still trying to include articles in this newsletter that are relevant and helpful during the times we’re experiencing.  I have several articles saved on trips, travels, and outdoor activities that just aren’t conducive to safe distancing so I’ll be saving them for another time.

The coronavirus, the anxieties of keeping ourselves and family members healthy during the pandemic, and the insecurities of finances and our homes are causing a new, unexpected consequence: hair loss.  Stress and/or anxiety sustained over a period of 3 months or longer shocks our system and triggers something called telogen effluvium, a temporary form of hair loss caused by a physical or emotional stress, high fever, illness or weight loss of more than 20 pounds — symptoms common with the virus.  I have a couple articles for you on this recently identified consequence associated with the coronavirus.

When this first started I shared that you should expect some hair loss over the next few months. It has now been more than 4 months since we’ve been quarantined.  Many of you may have already noticed some extra hair shedding the last couple of months. I know I have. Those of you with shorter hair may not notice the shedding as much because your hair is short and just washing down the drain (sorry).  It just won’t feel as think as usual.  The good thing about this type of hair loss is that once the “stressor” has been alleviated your hair will start to grow back.  It may take a few months before you notice any new growth, but you will eventually see those “baby hairs” throughout you scalp.

I’ve mentioned CBD in previous newsletters.  I’m a fan of CBD and have noticed the benefits.  I stumbled across a NO-BS guide for understanding CBD that I’m sharing with you this month. It is very important that you do your own research and find your own comfort levels on whether or not it’s right for you. I hope this guide helps with some of your questions.

I mentioned anxieties and stress above. Breathing is known to  be an anxiety taming exercise.  I have an article and a stream for you on how to use breathing to improve your heath.  

I also have articles on things you’re doing that might be damaging your hair, men’s Summer cuts, and even a 30 minute Home Walking video.

It is really impossible to let you know how much I’ve missed each and every one of you.  Words on a page just cannot express those kinds of feelings.  I know I’ve said this before but I am truly looking forward to the day (hopefully soon) when we will see each other face to face.

I am available by email, text or phone if you have any questions or concerns.  Or just want to chat.

Be well. Take Hair! AND #MaskUp 😷