What To Know About Covid Hair Loss

Hey everyone! I want to start this post off stating that I’m not a doctor, and you should always speak with your doctor for their advice over something that you read on the internet. That being said, I’ve been a licensed hair stylist for the last 17 years and I do have some experience and knowledge on the topic of hair loss. In this post, I’m going to talk about my experience personally and professionally regarding covid hair loss.

If you’d like to learn more on the stages of hair growth and on general hair thinning, see my post here.

Does covid cause hair loss?

From my experience personally and professionally, yes covid does cause hair loss. I not only noticed hair loss in clients after they had covid, but also after they were vaccinated as well. Since the vaccine has traces of the virus in it, it makes sense that it can also cause hair loss.

In the next sections I’ll talk about what I’ve gathered the common denominator is of who loses their hair after having covid and who doesn’t, as well as what to expect.

What causes covid hair loss?

From what I have gathered, it appears that those who experienced a high fever as one of their symptoms were more likely to have covid hair loss. This also goes for those who lost hair after they were vaccinated.

Many clients reported to me that they felt really achy and fever-like after their first vaccine dose and slept for an entire day. Those were also the ones that experienced hair loss after being vaccinated and not having covid.

When I had covid I had a super high fever for about a day and a half. I felt extremely ill and could hardly stand or walk because my body was so sore, I actually remember crawling to take my dog outside because I couldn’t stand straight and not be bent over. I went from sweating profusely to freezing cold.

It’s pretty safe to say that my body experienced something traumatic, even though I didn’t need to be hospitalized or put on a ventilator.

My temperature went up to 103 degrees, which was a common symptom especially in the early variants. This was the highest my temperature had been as an adult, which makes sense why I’ve not had hair loss from the flu or another sickness before.

When will my hair fall out after having covid?

I want you all to keep in mind that just because you had covid and/or a high fever does not mean that you will automatically lose your hair. So don’t start panicking if you have or recently had a fever. Stressing about it will not make matters any better, trust me.

Personally my hair began thinning about 6 months after having covid. The normal range for hair loss is anywhere from 3-9 months after the event that triggered the thinning.

Our hair can thin for many, many different reasons. Any time the body goes through a traumatic event, hair loss is likely to follow. And having a high fever is definitely traumatic to the body.

Luckily for me I have a decent amount of hair, so it wasn’t too big of a deal. I think the worst part is looking at all of the hair as its coming out and thinking that you’re going to go bald. Just keep in mind that this is not permanent. Your hair will thin for a short time (typically 3 months max) and then begin growing back again.

When will my hair grow back after covid hair loss?

Just as soon as a hair strand falls out, it will be replaced with another one. Your hair grows in stages which is why it took 6 months to begin falling out. The hair was released underneath the skin and had to be pushed out over time.

For me, I started noticing significant baby hairs around 6 months after the covid hair loss began. Again, this is normal and in sync with the hair growth cycle. So 1 year after I had covid, I had a ton of baby hairs growing in, particularly around my hairline and temples.

Your hair typically grows 1/4 to 1/2 inch per month. So it can take some time for that hair to grow down to reach the length of your hair. (Depending on how long your hair is.)

How to treat covid hair loss

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Unfortunately there isn’t a “cure” for covid hair loss. Once the hair starts falling out, there isn’t anything that can be done to stop it. This is because the hairs have already released underneath your skin months ago, and they can’t be reattached. It has to run its course.

That being said, I recommend taking plenty of vitamins and eating healthy during this time. I have heard great things about liquid biotin and collagen instead of the pill format. My guess is that the liquid is absorbed by the body a little better than the tablets.

I also want to mention that “hair oiling” does not work, in my personal opinion. I’ve been shown the videos on TikTok and unfortunately I think it’s a load of crap. If your hair is falling out, I would not recommend rubbing oil into your scalp because you’re going to make it fall out more. Stimulating the scalp when it is thinning is only going to irritate the follicles and cause them to release more hair.

How to care for your hair after covid hair loss

I recommend being extremely gentle with your hair during this time. You need to make sure that you’re keeping those baby hairs nice and healthy as they grow down. You also want to make sure to take extra care of your remaining hair, because it’s likely fragile from being thinned out.

I suggest not doing any bleaching or highlighting until it’s begun growing down a bit. Have your stylist do a root melt to blend your natural color in with the ends of your hair if you have a lot of blonde.

You should also do conditioning treatments weekly–if not every time you wash your hair. I like to alternate between Olaplex no.3 which is a strengthening treatment, and Pravana Intense Therapy which is a moisture treatment.

Be careful when pulling your hair back into tight pony tails or messy buns. Anything that puts tension on your hair can cause it to break. Wear it down, in a braid, or in a low pony.

I also suggest avoiding heat tools as much as possible during this time. Let your hair air dry and avoid ironing it. If you have to choose between the two, blow dry it. Blow drying is less damaging than ironing is because it is indirect heat.

Use thermal protection before you blow dry, and a separate one before you iron.

Conclusion

If you believe you are experiencing covid hair loss, speak to your doctor for their recommendations.

Covid and the covid vaccine can indeed cause hair loss. This has been common among those that experienced a high fever as one of their symptoms.

You will begin to experience hair loss anywhere from 3-9 months after having covid. This is because the hair grows and sheds in stages, and it takes a few months for the hair to be pushed out of the scalp.

In another 3-9 months you can expect to see baby hairs growing in place of the hairs that have fallen out. From my experience, no covid hair loss has been permanent.

Unfortunately there is no “cure” for covid hair loss, but you should be very careful with your hair during this time.

Do:

• Take biotin & collagen
• Eat healthy
• Regular conditioning treatments

Don’t:

• Bleach or highlight your hair
• Tight pony tails or messy buns
• Excessive heat tools

If you have any further questions for me on this topic, leave them for me in the comments! As always, Have A Good Hair Day!