Covid related hair loss - yes, it's a thing.
Hello ladies and gents,
It's been just over 2 years since our world was rocked by Covid. What a crazy time it has been. One of the big side effects of a Covid infection has been rapid shedding and thinning of the hair. I have met countless ladies that have experienced this after recovering from covid infection. Alyssa Milano even tweeted about it. What is it? Why is it happening? Will my hair come back? These are the questions I get time and time again.
Not everyone that contracts covid has this side effect. And it's hard to say who it will affect. The condition is called telogen effluvium. This is when hair that wouldn't normally shed at this time also sheds. For some the shedding lasts a few months with clumps of hair coming out at a time. It can be frightening to see so much hair coming out. All while more and more scalp becomes visible. We still haven't figured out why it happens. It could be that the body is lacking some very important nutrients after fighting off the illness. Or it could be the shock of a high fever. I am not a doctor and cannot diagnose any medical condition. So what can you do? I would definitely go to a doctor to get a full
blood panel done to see if it's a nutrient deficiency. The most important vitamins for hair health are - B12, iron, and lysine. Know that the shedding will subside eventually. The hard part of the journey is how long it takes your hair to grow and fill out again. With hair only growing an average of 4 to 6 inches a year it will take a lot of time to have long, thick, luscious locks again.
Depending on your length and the thickness you are left with after the shedding stops you may need to make some adjustments to your style. Sometimes a good chop will help give the hair a thicker look but if you are noticing a lot of scalp you may need to pull out the big guns and start to use a thickening fiber like Toppik or Million Hair. That will temporarily camouflage the scalp giving the illusion of thicker hair until you wash it again. Don't get caught in the rain though - it doesn't hold up in wet weather.
Other options for scalp camouflage include scalp micropigmentation and toppers. Scalp micropigmentation is a semi permanent form of scalp camouflage. We do it over at www.karbena.com . SMP uses a carbon based pigment embedded into the skin to make hair look fuller. It won't wash off and is great for active people. Then we get into the wonderful world of toppers and wigs. When more hair is needed sometimes adding real human hair to the client is the only thing that makes them feel like themself again. Toppers clip on top of the head and will give fullness back to the top unlike hair extensions which can only give fullness to the underneath areas. Toppers are matched to your current hair color and are clipped on and off daily. In some cases clients request them to be sewn on. This requires very high quality hair. Wigs, wigs, wigs. The last suggestion is getting a good quality human hair wig. This can be styled and will hold the style for quite some time. You may feel happy with your hair most of the time but have a panic when invited to an event. This is when a wig is great. I keep a few of them styled and I pulled them out when I have an event to go to. Human hair is a natural material and maintains a proper temperature. Synthetic hair on the other hand can be a bit warmer.
Tara at www.guiltlessglamourstudio.com is a wiz when it comes to helping ladies find the best solution for their specific needs and goals.
Remember that covid hair loss is temporary. But, if you are unhappy with your hair there are some really great options to help you feel like yourself again.
- Guiltless Glamour Studio - 778 241 2433
