Facebook Twitter

These COVID-19 survivors share stories of ‘heart-wrenching’ hair loss

COVID-19 survivors report losing their hair because of the novel coronavirus

SHARE These COVID-19 survivors share stories of ‘heart-wrenching’ hair loss
Hairdresser Renee Dursalg styles the hair of Carol LaVache at a hair salon Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020, in Seal Beach, Calif. California has relaxed coronavirus restrictions in 40 of its 58 counties, including all but one in the San Francisco Bay Area where the illness first took hold in the state, even as signs emerge of a possible surge of new cases.

Hairdresser Renee Dursalg styles the hair of Carol LaVache at a hair salon Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020, in Seal Beach, Calif. California has relaxed coronavirus restrictions in 40 of its 58 counties, including all but one in the San Francisco Bay Area where the illness first took hold in the state, even as signs emerge of a possible surge of new cases.

AP

Several coronavirus survivors have reported dealing with dramatic hair loss because of the novel coronavirus, NBC News reports.

  • Experts said this can happen after a serious illness.

That said, it’s rare, and it doesn’t make it anymore easy to handle, according to Dr. Sara Hogan, a dermatologist and health sciences clinical instructor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.

  • “It is upsetting, especially for those who have gone through a significant clinical course of Covid, to then experience this as well.” Hogan told NBC News. “But oftentimes, patients, once they have a diagnosis and they understand that typically this will get better, they feel better.”

Hair loss can happen during any significant and stressful event, including surgery or starting a new job, Hogan told NBC News.

The coronavirus pandemic has led to more hair loss since it’s stressful anyway. Hogan told NBC News she’s seeing seven patients a day from hair loss. She used to see between three to five patients a week.

More stories from survivors:

Coronavirus survivors continue to share their stories about dealing with COVID-19, including experiences where they’re sleeping with breathing machines or experiencing chills late into the night.

The Green Bay Press-Gazette interviewed a slew of survivors about their experience with the virus. Some patients spent time in hospitals. Families needed to stay at home, not knowing what would happen to them.

  • “I felt so completely helpless when he (her husband) was getting worse every single day in the hospital and I wasn’t able to be there for him,” Lindsey Unright told the Green Bay Press-Gazette.