Solutions for women's hair loss due to COVID

COVID-19 has affected individuals in different ways. For some people who contract a COVID-19 infection, they have mild symptoms while for others, they are asymptomatic. Sometimes, there are even cases of fit and healthy athletes getting the worst of COVID and retaining lingering effects. However, one of the side effects that has seemingly only affected women is hair loss.

In this blog, we will look at the issue in detail as well as provide solutions for women who are currently dealing with COVID hair loss.

Hair loss is common during stressful periods

First and foremost, it should be noted that hair loss is extremely common during stressful periods. And after all, if there ever was a stressful period that affected just about everyone worldwide, it’s the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic ever since the early months of 2020.

With stress comes hair loss and this can happen to both men and women. This type of hair shedding is called telogen effluvium and is usually temporary. You may see more hair shedding in general on your bathroom floor or when you’re brushing your hair, you’ll notice a lot more hair getting stuck or falling off. Additionally, this hair loss can occur all over your head compared to certain areas affected by male pattern baldness for example.

However, this type of hair loss can also occur right after one has recovered from fever or an illness and the shedding period can last a few weeks to a few months depending on the person. With all this said, your hair should eventually come back, so before you truly start panicking, hold out and see if your hair returns as you could simply be experiencing telogen effluvium. Experts state that six months is the usual period hair starts growing back.

But if you’re still experiencing severe hair loss beyond that period, it’s possible you are dealing with a more permanent level of hair loss.

COVID causing hair loss among women

There have been many cases of women recovering from COVID only to later find that they are losing their hair. As we mentioned in our blog looking at 10 female celebrities who suffered from hair loss, American actress Alyssa Milano was a notable figure who dealt with hair loss right after recovering from COVID.

The Survivor Corps group on Facebook which has over 180,000 members sees a number of female members regularly complain about hair loss post-COVID. One survey from the group saw a third of 1,700 respondents reveal they were losing their hair after recovering. In many cases, this hair isn’t growing back.

But is this really a symptom of COVID? According to the World Health Organization, hair loss is not recognized as an official symptom. However, as per Dr. Mohammad Jafferany, a psychiatrist and dermatologist at Central Michigan University, alopecia areata -- an autoimmune condition where your hair follicles are affected and can fall out in patches or clumps -- can be associated with or exacerbated by psychological stress.

Additionally, while some who dealt with stress-induced hair loss did not contract COVID, those who did experienced more rapid hair loss due to inflammation which can elevate immune molecules that are linked to alopecia.

Solutions for your hair loss problem

So what can you do if you are dealing with a more permanent form of hair loss due to COVID? Some things you can do in the short term is ensure good nutrition, take vitamins that help with hair such as biotin and do yoga and meditation to help with stress reduction.

For the long term, hair loss prescription medicine minoxidil is recommended which can help regrow hair and make existing thin hair thicker. It should be noted, though, that there are potential side effects and that women who are pregnant should not use minoxidil. It’s also possible that there will be more hair loss before the medication starts to work.

For a safer and more instant solution, however, you can opt for hair systems for women. If you have thinning hair or bald patches only in certain areas of your scalp, you can opt for a human hair topper which will conceal the hair loss and blend with your natural hair. If your hair loss is more advanced or you are dealing with total hair loss, you can also opt for a full cap wig. Superhairpieces offers a number of 100% human hair systems for women which are extremely natural looking and provide you with beautiful hair instantly. In some cases, you can get your wig covered by insurance as well.

Hair loss can be devastating to one’s self-esteem, confidence and looks, and this is especially the case for women, many of whom deem their hair as their identity. But with women’s hair systems, you can not only have a full head of hair again, but also reclaim your life.

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Interested in learning more about hair systems for women? Browse through our website at www.superhairpieces.com (US & International) or superhairpieces.ca (CAN)

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