From Women’s Day
2020 has been a year of fear. Whether you are worried about your health, the health of your family and friends, job security, or how you will work from home while facilitating your home learning, daily life is filled with many stressors and worrying decisions. That it’s no wonder that more people are losing this hair this year than ever in front of. The stress of the present moment, combined with practical details of daily, changed life (For example, wearing your hair back more often) has created a perfect storm for potential hair loss. (There are also physical symptoms of having COVID-19 that can also contribute to hair loss.)
What Typically Causes Hair Loss?
Before you understand exactly what causes an increase in hair loss this year, it is important to understand what causes it under “normal” conditions.
“Possible causes of hair loss vary from physical to mental,” says Dr. Michelle Henry, board-certified dermatologist, Women’s Day. These include genes (androgenetic alopecia), age, autoimmune diseases (alopecia areata), tight capsules (traction alopecia)) as well as high levels of stress (telogen effluvium), which include illness, birth, surgery, a stressful life event, or extreme weight loss. “
How has COVID-19 increased losses this year?
Of course, the era of COVId-19 is anything but “normal”, and the virus has presented both physical and mental side effects – whether you contract the new strain of coronavirus or not.
“Stress levels are at an all-time high this year with the global pandemic affecting every aspect of our lives,” explains Dr. Henry. “As a result, more people are experiencing stress-induced hair loss, or telogen effluvium, which is a temporary hair loss condition in which we see too much hair loss after some shock to the system.”
Board certified dermatological surgeon Dr. Dendy Engelman tells Woman’s Day that she began to see an uptick in patients for hair loss about four to six weeks after the first orders of stay-at-home in New York City. Dr. Engelman says that “high fever, such as emotional and physical stressors” will trigger the telogenic effluvium they observed in patients, and that most patients have lost more than 50 percent of their hair density.
‘Most of the patients I’ve seen with hair loss got pretty sick from the virus and had positive COVID test results. They all reported high fever, ”says Dr. Engelman. Of those who never became ill (negative for COVID and / or antibodies), they report that they felt acutely stressed by the mandatory life changes that occurred as a result of the global pandemic, including work from home, alone in quarantine, quarantine with family, fear of the unknown, etc. ”
Is an increase in hair loss permanent?
Whether you are using COVID-19 and are recovering, still recovering, or dealing with COVID-induced stress, it is important to know that hair loss is normal. And the good news? It should be self-explanatory, according to Dr. Engelman.
“It can take four to six months to cycle back to the normal growth phase,” she explains. “Once we have ruled out other conditions with blood working thyroid function, hormones, iron levels, and micronutrients like zinc and B12 are all normal also we can prescribe special shampoos and supplements to help hair stop fading and start growing.”
Dr. Daniel Belkin, of the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York, tells Woman’s Day that this restorative timeline remains the same, despite what causes hair loss in the first place.
“Whether you experience telogen effluvium due to an illness or psychological stress, the timeline is the same,” says Dr. Belkin. “In general, it takes three months after the stressful event to see hair loss and it presents itself in the same way.”
How To Treat Hair Loss At Home
In the meantime, tHi, There are also ways to keep your hair as healthy and strong as possible at home.
Shab Reslan, an expert on hair health at HairClub, tells Woman’s Day that a recent HairClub survey found that 39 percent of Americans suffer from hair loss that they feel is somehow induced by COVID. And while going to a dermatologist should always be your first move when dealing with sudden hair loss, there are things that can help at home as well.
“Stress management can be difficult, especially if it’s based on a pandemic we were not on,” Reslan says. “Resting through a wellness approach to exercise, eating healthy and natural supplements that can reduce inflammation and stress can greatly help us.”
These steps do not necessarily cure your hair loss, but they will certainly not hurt either. And if they generally make you feel less stressed, then that’s just an added benefit.
Dr. Henry agrees that a ‘nutritious rich diet’, regular exercise and meditation are all things that can help reduce stress (and thus, possibly, hair loss). For other solutions, Dr. Henry suggests avoiding clogged hairstyles and heat styling. For another treatment to promote hair growth and preservation, she suggests Nioxin 3-part system sets “To achieve and maintain thicker, much longer hair.”
Hair loss can feel frustrating and embarrassing, but if you lose your locks more this year than ever before (than for the first time), you should know that you are not alone. If you are concerned, remember to put some of the above advice into action and never assume to see a trusted, board-certified dermatologist for answers.
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