Does COVID-19 Infection Cause Hair Loss? Yes, But It Can Regrow

A COVID-19 infection can affect people in many different ways. Some may experience only mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. Others can develop severe illness and long-term conditions. 

Regardless of how sick you get, a COVID infection can cause physical and emotional stress. And this can lead to another bothersome outcome — hair loss. Here’s why COVID-19 infection can cause hair loss and what you can do to support your hair growth. 

Why does hair loss happen after COVID infection?

Many people experience hair loss after a COVID infection. In studies, anywhere from 24% to 73% of people reported increased hair loss after being sick with COVID. Here’s why people are more likely to develop hair loss after COVID infection.

Stress

Telogen effluvium is the main reason people lose hair after COVID. This is a medical condition that leads to increased hair shedding. It starts after stressful life events, like having a baby, undergoing a surgery, or experiencing an illness. 

You won’t lose all your hair from telogen effluvium. But you’ll notice more hair loss and hair thinning. Telogen effluvium goes away once your body recovers, though this takes time. Your hair will regrow, as telogen effluvium doesn’t cause permanent hair loss. 

Alopecia areata

Alopecia areata is a common autoimmune condition that causes patches of hair loss, usually on your scalp. COVID doesn’t cause alopecia areata, but it may make it worse in some people who already have it. If your alopecia areata is worsened by COVID, there are different treatments that can help regrow your hair. 

Can the COVID vaccine cause your hair to fall out?

Yes, the COVID vaccine can trigger telogen effluvium. Some reports show that people developed increased hair shedding after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. There are also reports of people experiencing a worsening of their alopecia areata after getting the COVID vaccine. 

But this is less common than hair loss after a COVID illness. It’s possible that some people are more prone to developing telogen effluvium, and these people would have likely developed it after a COVID illness too. 

When does hair loss from a COVID infection usually start? 

Hair loss after a COVID infection may start within a few weeks, but it can also take several months to develop. 

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Telogen effluvium develops when hair follicles are pushed into the telogen phase earlier than is normal. Hair cycles through three stages of growth:

• Growth phase (anagen): This is when hair actively grows longer. It usually lasts 2 to 5 years, and most of your hair is in this stage at any given time.

• Transition phase (catagen): This is when the hair follicle stops growing and lasts about 3 to 6 weeks.

• Resting phase (telogen): This phase lasts 3 to 5 months. The hair isn’t growing but hasn’t fallen out yet. This phase ends when the hair falls out. About 10% to 15% of your hair is in the telogen phase at any given time.

When hair enters the resting phase, it can take up to 3 to 5 months for it to fall out. That’s why you might not notice hair loss until weeks after you recover. Some studies show that telogen effluvium from COVID can actually progress more rapidly. You’re more likely to notice hair loss closer to the 2-month mark after recovery. Some people even notice hair loss within 1 month. But hair shedding can also start 4 to 6 months after your COVID illness.

What are the early symptoms of telogen effluvium?

Telogen effluvium increases hair shedding. It’s perfectly normal to lose up to 100 hairs per day. But with telogen effluvium, people may lose closer to 300 hairs per day. 

The most common symptoms of telogen effluvium are related to hair falling out more quickly. Common symptoms include:

• More hair falling out while brushing or styling

• More hair loss with hair washing and bathing

• Noticeable hair thinning, especially on the crown and temples

• Decreased hair thickness

• Thinning of eyebrows and/or eyelashes

Telogen effluvium doesn’t cause bald patches. But it can make existing bald patches more noticeable. It also doesn’t change your hairline.

COVID infection has also been linked to other hair changes, including:

• Scalp pain and soreness

• Increased gray hair

• Dandruff (seborrhea dermatitis)

How long does hair shedding post-COVID last?

It’s not clear how long hair shedding lasts after a COVID illness. Telogen effluvium normally lasts up to 6 months. But some reports suggest it can resolve more quickly when triggered by a COVID illness. It may take 2 to 3 months for hair to move back into the growth phase. 

Can you regrow your hair after experiencing telogen effluvium?

Yes, hair will regrow after experiencing telogen effluvium. Your hair will start to grow back when it goes from the telogen (rest) phase to the anagen (growth) phase. 

Your hair may start to regrow in as little as 2 months. But it can take up to 6 months for your hair to get back to its normal growth pattern. 

It’ll take longer to see a noticeable difference since hair grows from the root. Hair grows slowly, and it can take a while before you feel like your head of hair is back to normal. Experts estimate that it can take up to 8 months for your hair to fully grow back once telogen effluvium resolves.

In the meantime, there are ways to support hair growth. 

COVID hair loss treatments

There’s no cure for people experiencing post-COVID telogen effluvium. But there are some ways to support your hair growth as it starts to come back. These include having good nutrition, managing stress, and taking care of your hair.

Vitamins

For hair to grow and be healthy, it needs good nutrition — especially protein and key vitamins and minerals. Whether through diet or supplements, be sure to get enough of the following:

• Protein

• Iron

• Vitamin D

• Vitamin C 

• Zinc

• Folic acid

• Vitamin B12

Also, some people with telogen effluvium have low levels of vitamin D and may benefit from vitamin D supplements. Your primary care provider can check your levels. 

Stress management 

Stress can cause many physical and emotional symptoms, and it can be challenging to learn to manage stress. There may be some things you can take to help reduce your stress levels, for example: 

• Exercise

• Practice mindfulness

• Have healthy relationships

• Get 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep each night

• Talk with a healthcare professional or therapist about other ways to manage your stress levels

Gentle hair practices

The way you treat your hair matters. Here are some things you may want to avoid:

• Hairstyles that pull on the hair, such as ponytails or tight braids

• Excessive heat or treatments to the hair

While it may be hard, it’s important to be patient and realize that your hair will grow back. But it may take some time.

Minoxidil

Minoxidil (Rogaine) is an over-the-counter (OTC) medication that can treat male and female patterned baldness. It’s available as a foam or liquid. Topical minoxidil works by shortening the resting phase and lengthening the growth phase. In theory, it should help speed up recovery from telogen effluvium. Unfortunately, there isn’t any good evidence that topical minoxidil works for telogen effluvium. Still, many people and healthcare professionals try it anyway since it’s a generally safe medication.

When to see a doctor about COVID-related hair loss

There are some situations when you may need professional help for hair loss. It’s a good idea to check in with a healthcare professional if: 

• Your hair loss lasts more than 6 months

• You notice patches of hair loss

• You have scalp itching

You may need an additional workup for other causes of hair loss, such as hormonal causes, nutritional deficiencies, or autoimmune hair loss. Your healthcare team may be able to recommend some treatments based on their findings. 

If you have alopecia areata and have experienced more hair loss after COVID, check in with your primary care provider. They can help you find the best treatments to reverse your hair loss.

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Written by:

Christina Palmer, MD

Christina Palmer, MD, is a board-certified family physician with a focus on chronic care management, women’s health, and mental health. She’s the co-author of “Open Heart: When Open-Heart Surgery Becomes Your Best Option.”.

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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