COVID-19 patients can face hair loss after infection, Inner Glow founder reports

20 Jan 2022 --- Dermatologists are noticing an increasing number of their clients are affected by hair loss after suffering from a COVID-19 infection. The founder of Inner Glow vitamins and a dermatologist herself, Dr. Noreen Galaria, says she has experienced this phenomenon first-hand.

“These patients are noticing clumps of hair falling out about two months or more post-COVID infections,” Galaria observes.

She says her patients are suffering from telogen effluvium, a term for temporary excessive shedding as a result of a “stressful internal event.”

According to the dermatologist, when fighting off an infection or recovering from an illness, the body may focus on “vital” tasks, and the cycle of hair growth can become interrupted. This can have a delayed effect after COVID-19 infections, she says.

According to the Inner Glow founder, between 20% to 40% of people deal with excessive shedding after a COVID-19 infection.“These hairs then fall out en masse one to three months later, causing patients to feel like they are going bald because of the extreme loss,” explains Galaria.

A growing body of evidence identifies spontaneous shedding as a common occurrence following a COVID-19 infection, and shedding is reportedly common among “long-haulers” suffering from an extended illness.

Telogen effluvium: Common after illness 
According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), it is most likely not COVID-19 specifically that is causing this symptom in patients. Rather, as Dr. Galaria agrees, telogen effluvium is a common complication of fevers and illnesses. 

The AAD says telogen effluvium happens when more hairs than usual enter the telogen (shedding) phase at the same time.

“Most people see noticeable hair shedding two to three months after having a fever or illness. Handfuls of hair can come out when you shower or brush your hair,” the AAD writes on their website.

“This hair shedding can last for six to nine months before it stops.”

To this effect, the AAD says this phenomenon should be referred to as “hair shedding” rather than “hair loss,” as the latter implies the phenomenon is permanent and requires intervention. In actuality, most hair growth cycles return to normal after the body has had time to recover, the AAD says.

The AAD says that, after significant stress and especially after several months of fever, the body may shed a seemingly dramatic amount of hair. This is notableDr. Galaria has seen a 30% increase in patients coming in for hair loss treatments as a result of the pandemic. in light of emerging evidence that COVID-19 long-haulers are the most likely to report excessive shedding. 

Inner Glow vitamins’ solution
Dr. Galaria’s experience with patients led her to design Inner Glow vitamins, a formula targeting hair, skin and nails. The vitamins are made from “natural ingredients” like marine collagen, turmeric, ashwagandha, saw palmetto, BioPerine and Quatrefolic. 

Galaria says that taking the supplement can speed up the body’s recovery time, ending the shedding cycle early by supplying vital nutrients. Consumers are instructed to take three tablets per day. 

She says each ingredient is tested and approved by her team, and the combination of ingredients her team achieved in the vitamins is “synergistic.”

The market for vitamins and supplements targeting hair shedding specifically experienced when recovering from fevers and illnesses is still relatively small. However, products like Inner Glow’s vitamins may indicate that such a market is fertile for expansion.

Edited by Olivia Nelson