There are many side effects derived from the coronavirus disease. Among the most notorious is hair loss due to Covid 19. It is a very common symptom among those who have overcome the disease and this is reflected in an exponential increase in the number of consultations ensuring hair loss due to Covid 19, especially among women. But, to what extent can the coronavirus affect our hair health? Is hair loss from Covid 19 reversible? 

From Hospital Capilar We tell you everything you need to know about the effects of covid on hair and how to deal with them. Next! 

Is hair loss due to Covid 19 normal? 

As we have previously mentioned, many patients who have overcome the coronavirus disease claim to suffer greater hair loss. Today it has gone from being a symptom in relatively isolated cases to being a most common side effect. Therefore, hair loss due to Covid 19 is normal and very frequent and usually occurs a few months after having overcome the disease. 

The intensity of this hair loss depends on each patient and various studies relate it to the intensity of the symptoms caused by this disease. However, there are also asymptomatic patients who have suffered what is known as hair loss due to Covid 19. 

Why does your hair fall out due to Covid 19? 

Two factors that cause hair loss after having passed Covid 19 are identified. Hair loss due to Covid 19 is mainly associated with stress experienced during this episode, as well as the inflammation associated with this disease. This causes what is known as acute telogen effluvium. 

To understand hair loss due to Covid 19 it is essential to know what the hair life cycle. The truth is that each hair has its own life cycle where it is born (anagen phase) grows (catagen phase) and sheds (telogen phase) to make way for another new hair. Under certain conditions such as episodes of inflammation or high levels of Stress much of the hair enters its telogen phase suddenly and more intense hair loss occurs. 

In other words, months after Covid 19 has passed, hair falls out as a result of inflammation and stress suffered during said disease, which affects hair follicles, altering their life cycle. 

Is hair loss reversible after Covid 19?

The biggest concern in patients with hair loss due to Covid 19 is precisely whether it is a reversible hair loss or if, on the contrary, it causes baldness. As we have mentioned before, the type of fall that the coronavirus generates is what is known as telogen effluvium. In most cases, it is a reversible hair loss since the destruction of the hair follicles does not occur, which will cease a few months after starting the hair loss process when the hair enters its anagen phase again.

However, it is important to go to a professional who assesses our case in particular when hair loss is accompanied by a lack of density and areas without hair, since there could be a more serious latent problem such as a androgenic alopecia. 

Treatments to stop hair loss due to Covid 19

Hair loss caused by Covid 19 does not usually cause serious hair problems and the hair that falls out will come out normally. However, we can resort to certain hair treatments, prior medical diagnosis, to strengthen the hair, stop its loss and considerably improve its quality, thus facing the possible consequences of the covid. 

Platelet Rich Plasma 

El Platelet Rich Plasma, or PRP, is a hair regeneration treatment aimed at stopping hair loss, nourishing it and improving its quality. It consists of extracting blood from the patient and subjecting it to a centrifugation process, thus managing to separate the plasma enriched with growth factors from the rest of the blood components. It is this plasma that is injected into the scalp subdermally. 

Hair mesotherapy 

La hair mesotherapy It is another of the non-surgical hair treatments that can be highly beneficial in cases of hair loss due to Covid 19. 

These are microinjections into the scalp of a magisterial formula based on vitamins, peptides and drugs adapted to the patient, thus stopping hair loss, strengthening it and giving it much more shine and vitality.