Hair loss after COVID - Question for hair colorists/stylists

[laurajetter]

Back in early to mid August I suddenly noticed that every time I combed my hair, copious amounts were coming out onto my comb. This continued for several weeks, to the point that I was able to visibly notice my hair thinning. Normally I have VERY thick, wavy/curly hair. When I used to wear it down, the hair at the sides of my face was so plentiful that if I tilted my face downward the hair was like two thick curtains that almost completely obscured my face. Now when I look downward there is absolutely no hair that falls forward, it stays far back on the sides. When I used to make a pony tail the diameter was extremely thick, I could barely double a pony tail holder around it. Now it feels very thin to me and I can triple and maybe quadruple the rubber band. Despite this, most people don't really notice my hair loss; it's not coming out in bald patches, just a general thinning, and since I had so much wavy hair to begin with, the only person that really notices is me. There are some pieces here and there that seem like a different length than the rest, but I think it's because the longer, older hairs that used to be part of that same curl pattern have now shed away. The overall shape of my hair is now kind of uneven due to some newer hair keeping the area a bit thick while other parts simply thin out.

I did a quick search on sudden hair loss, and one thing that came up was a condition called Telogen effluvium, which can happen several months after a stressful event or high fever. I looked back on my calendar, and it lined up almost exactly 3 months after I experienced COVID back in May, when I had nearly 10 days straight of at a minimum a low grade fever, and toward the end a high fever for about a day.

I am totally self-diagnosing myself because the hair loss has since stopped (aside from normal daily shedding) and I am hoping that over time it will start growing back in thicker; I don't really feel the need to necessarily see a doctor at this point. Assuming I am correct about the cause of my hair loss, I'd like to know from any hair colorists/stylists out there if you feel it is okay to dye my hair at this point. I am sooooo overdue for a cut and color, it's been well over a year. Lack of a defined hair style combined with the now wispy/frizzy portions that are a result of so many of my chunky curls shedding away is really annoying me, and I'm hoping to find a stylist that can help reshape my hair and help combat the super frizziness that I now experience. However, I'm afraid of getting it colored, in case it somehow causes even more hair loss... not sure if coloring has that effect or not? I feel like I don't have much to spare! Hoping someone experienced can give me some advice! Thx!

 

[DisneyOma]

Not a hair stylist, but I have a bachelor's degree in Biology and Chemistry. Don't dye your hair yet, until it is really grown back to close to the original thickness. Those hair follicle cells need time to recover and replenish themselves, not fight off some harsh chemicals that could irritate and damage them.

Do get a new haircut, and maybe a nonpermanent rinse of color if your real color really bothers you?

 

[Southernmiss]

Hair loss is common with illness.

Our son lost hair after he had covid in February.

Our daughter lost her long, thick wavy blonde hair in copious amounts like you in 2019 when she had her first systemic lupus flare that caused her to be very ill until she was diagnosed. She was then put on steroids. She got sick in April and by August, her scalp showed on the sides when she pulled her hair back. When I realized this, I cried for her.

All this to say, 2 years later her hair finally looks normal, not frizzy, and the scalp is all covered. Though it's not extra thick like it was before.

She took all the vitamins. But it will take a while to grow back in.

With medication, she is now in remission and feels great.

Be patient. It will grow back, but it might be different.

 

[laurajetter]

Not a hair stylist, but I have a bachelor's degree in Biology and Chemistry. Don't dye your hair yet, until it is really grown back to close to the original thickness. Those hair follicle cells need time to recover and replenish themselves, not fight off some harsh chemicals that could irritate and damage them.

Do get a new haircut, and maybe a nonpermanent rinse of color if your real color really bothers you?

Thanks for your advice! I'm just going gray pretty badly and I don't like the look since it's also on the frizzy side, but my hairs' health is probably more important at this point.

 

[laurajetter]

Hair loss is common with illness.

Our son lost hair after he had covid in February.

Our daughter lost her long, thick wavy blonde hair in copious amounts like you in 2019 when she had her first systemic lupus flare that caused her to be very ill until she was diagnosed. She was then put on steroids. She got sick in April and by August, her scalp showed on the sides when she pulled her hair back. When I realized this, I cried for her.

All this to say, 2 years later her hair finally looks normal, not frizzy, and the scalp is all covered. Though it's not extra thick like it was before.

She took all the vitamins. But it will take a while to grow back in.

With medication, she is now in remission and feels great.

Be patient. It will grow back, but it might be different.

I'm sorry for what your daughter went through but happy she's doing well now! Thanks for your description, it is helpful.

 

[a1tinkfans]

info on a product I’ve had much success with.

This is so difficult for so many women.
my hair has thinned on the sides( not stress related or medical) likely genetic as my own mom ( rip) and her mom ( rip) both had thinning sides. My hair has always been on the fine side ( tho post chemo I went from pin straight to waves lol.. and the waves have remained),but stil fine and not a huge head of hair by any means. However….
I use a product called got2b by Schwarzkopf and I get it at ulta it has literally CHANGED my life.
it’s a fine powder that u put on your palm, rub palms together and then use ur hands thru ur hair.. in ur chosen style. The body it gives is so good and during the late day or into the night, I just use my hands again thru my hair ( not adding product) to what I like to think is, re-activating it.
It’s a volumonizing styling powder.
i Hope this helps someone.

sorry to hear ur current situation OP, I hope ur hair growth returns strong and soon. And I’m sure the stylists will direct u best.

 

[DebbieB]

When was the last time you had bloodwork? I wouldn’t self diagnose.

 

[jen7233]

So many possible causes for hair loss. Can also be a deficiency, hormones, post-illness, age, products, medicines etc. I'm not a stylist but my oldest is and they'd say this.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Maybe pure henna would be the way to go for a good long while.

 

[Sugardimples]

info on a product I’ve had much success with.

This is so difficult for so many women.
my hair has thinned on the sides( not stress related or medical) likely genetic as my own mom ( rip) and her mom ( rip) both had thinning sides. My hair has always been on the fine side ( tho post chemo I went from pin straight to waves lol.. and the waves have remained),but stil fine and not a huge head of hair by any means. However….
I use a product called got2b by Schwarzkopf and I get it at ulta it has literally CHANGED my life.
it’s a fine powder that u put on your palm, rub palms together and then use ur hands thru ur hair.. in ur chosen style. The body it gives is so good and during the late day or into the night, I just use my hands again thru my hair ( not adding product) to what I like to think is, re-activating it.
It’s a volumonizing styling powder.
i Hope this helps someone.

sorry to hear ur current situation OP, I hope ur hair growth returns strong and soon. And I’m sure the stylists will direct u best.

I just ordered got2be based on your recommendation. Thanks.

 

[Christine]

info on a product I’ve had much success with.

This is so difficult for so many women.
my hair has thinned on the sides( not stress related or medical) likely genetic as my own mom ( rip) and her mom ( rip) both had thinning sides. My hair has always been on the fine side ( tho post chemo I went from pin straight to waves lol.. and the waves have remained),but stil fine and not a huge head of hair by any means. However….
I use a product called got2b by Schwarzkopf and I get it at ulta it has literally CHANGED my life.
it’s a fine powder that u put on your palm, rub palms together and then use ur hands thru ur hair.. in ur chosen style. The body it gives is so good and during the late day or into the night, I just use my hands again thru my hair ( not adding product) to what I like to think is, re-activating it.
It’s a volumonizing styling powder.
i Hope this helps someone.

sorry to hear ur current situation OP, I hope ur hair growth returns strong and soon. And I’m sure the stylists will direct u best.

I use a similar product by a company called Surface. Big Sexy also makes one. It's really weird powder and it reminds of the stuff you used to put on your hands before getting on the uneven bars in gymnastics! My stylist, who has long hair, hates it because she says it just makes her hair feel dirty, but I love it. It works great for shorter, layered styles!

 

[Moliphino]

My sister had hair loss like that after Covid, too. She actually had it cut and dyed not long before it started falling out. She does say the amount of hair coming out is back to normal levels now (she had covid a little before you, in late April).

 

[summerlyangel]

I had the same hairloss after severe covid. Mine started about 2 months after I first got sick and the fallout lasted about 2 months. I easily lost half of my already thin, curly hair, but because it is curly, it didn't look horrible to anyone but me. That was Feb of this year, and I noticed extra short hairs and frizz sometime this summer. I'm not seeing bare spots anymore, so it is filling in nicely. Unfortunately, all that is growing back is gray and the curls are still a bit limp and stringy compared to what they were. I hope that improves as it fills back in, and I might go ahead and do some highlights to blend in the grays with my blond hair. Not quite sure, yet.

 

[Imzadi]

Alyssa Milano posted a video of her brushing her hair and how much she lost in one brushing, due to to COVID. So, you are not alone.

 

[Lilsia]

I had hair loss after I had my second child. I also have thick hair so it was not noticeable to anyone but me, but it would come out in clumps when I washed it. As others have said, there are many reasons why we loose hair and illness or stress are a couple of those reasons. My hair loss did not last long, maybe a few weeks, but it never really went back to full thickness. I would not color your hair at this time since it is already stressed. Wait a few months to see what happens.

 

[Skippy918]

I would still go get checked out by the doctor. A serious illness can also cause hormones to get messed up. When I was a teen, I had a severe case of pneumonia and was hospitalized. A few months later, my hair started falling out and my monthly cycle was messed up. It was horrible. Getting my hormones corrected helped the hair loss subside.

 

[DisneyOma]

Alyssa Milano posted a video of her brushing her hair and how much she lost in one brushing, due to to COVID. So, you are not alone.

That really didn't seem like a lot of hair? Also, I always thought it did more damage to your hair when you brushed it when it was wet?

 

[Lilias]

I noticed the same thing over the summer, and when I mentioned it to my hairstylist she said that it's happening to just about everyone--stress from 2020, fevers from Covid and Covid vaccines, etc. She said it's extremely common at the salon. I just noticed in the shower this morning that what I consider a normal amount of hair came out (I'm also wavy/curly, so there's always SOME lol) rather than what I had been having since around May/June, which is at least double the amount. I got my vaccine early April and it did give me a one-day Flu with all that goes with it lol.

Like you, only I have noticed it (so no baldspots etc) so I haven't really done anything about it other than wait it out. I'm hoping the weirdness is over and today wasn't just a fluke

 

[Imzadi]

That really didn't seem like a lot of hair? Also, I always thought it did more damage to your hair when you brushed it when it was wet?

I think it was in comparison to the amount she usually has fall out, if she uses that same brush all the time. I agree that using a brush is bad. But that brush is wide toothed and all plastic. Maybe it's meant for wet hair?

 

[GJM]

I had Telogen effluvium - I was in the hospital Oct. 2019, around Christmas I noticed more hair falling out. It just kept getting worse. I went to the Dr. and she kept telling me it was my age and hair will thin out. NO it was more then that, she sent me for blood work that came out fine.

I went to my dermatologist and he did a scalp biopsy and figured out what I had. As he explained, when I was in the hospital, your body is concerned about keeping you vital organs going and not your hair and nails. He went more into detail.

My hair was so thin I couldn't wear it down, barely could put in a ponytail. It did finally start growing, I use to get highlights and color in my hair, after a year I went to my stylist. He said I could color but now highlights. I am 57 so I had a lot of grey.

It has been almost 2 years, it has definitely grown back, still have done highlights, but do color. Some spots are still not as thick, and I never had thick hair. Weird thing is my hair has always been straight, but grew back curly. A shampoo I used was Nixion shampoo, felt like it made my hair fuller.