Numerous COVID-19 survivors are experiencing hair loss.
It is believed that the psychological stress which has been generated by the pandemic is causing hair loss. Many people who have contracted the virus have reportedly experienced hair loss weeks or months after they had recovered. According to Healthline, ‘doctors believe that the physical and emotional stress that accompanies a case of COVID-19 may lead to a reversible hair loss condition called telogen effluvium’. In other words, it is the intense and extreme psychological stress which people experience during their fight with the virus that is making them lose their hair. Dr. Dendy Engelman, a dermatologist at Manhattan Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery commented:
There’s been at least a 25 percent increase in people coming in with hair loss, and that’s from a place of already being busy dealing with hair disorders […] It’s not yet documented on major medical sites as a symptom, but patients show me their positive test results.
Dr. Dendy Engelman
Those who have never contracted the virus can also experience hair loss.
ABS-CBN reported that many others are experiencing hair loss because of the psychological stress from ‘job loss, financial strain, deaths of family members, or other devastating developments stemming from the pandemic’. Furthermore, according to Dr. Shilpi Khetarpal, an associate professor of dermatology at the Cleveland Clinic, ‘There’s many, many stresses in many ways surrounding this pandemic, and we’re still seeing hair loss because a lot of the stress hasn’t gone away.’
Actress Alyssa Milano uploaded a video on Twitter, showing her fans the hair loss she experienced as a result of COVID-19:
Alyssa Milano had shown symptoms of Coronavirus in April. Her tweet and the video which accompanies it is meant to warn people about the effects of the virus, urge them to take it seriously, and encourage them to wear a mask.
Thought I’d show you what #Covid19 does to your hair. Please take this seriously. #WearADamnMask #LongHauler pic.twitter.com/H0wCmzYswV
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) August 9, 2020