COVID-19 affects everyone differently. You may have no symptoms at all, or you may be bedridden for several days or weeks. Regardless, being sick with the virus can lead to mental and physical consequences, such as hair loss. Learn how you can get your hands on a COVID hair loss treatment that will strengthen your hair and build healthy follicles.
Why Do You Experience Hair Loss After COVID-19?
Many who have been hospitalized for COVID tend to experience hair loss three to six months after being discharged. However, some evidence suggests that those who experience milder symptoms due to the virus may actually be more susceptible to hair loss. While the virus itself may not be causing this condition, there is evidence linking it with COVID-related stress.
Hair loss related to stress is called telogen effluvium. It occurs three months after a stressful event, such as surgery, and usually lasts six months once it first begins.
Your hair follicles usually go through three phases:
- Growth
- Resting
- Shedding
Under normal conditions, your hair will usually be in the growth phase. However, if you have telogen effluvium, most of your hair is in the shedding phase — up to 50%. That explains why you lose chunks of hair when brushing it, for instance.
While this condition doesn’t last forever, it takes several months to resolve itself. If you prefer to give your follicles a bit of help in the meantime, here are a few treatments to boost your hair growth.
COVID Hair Loss Treatment
A compounding pharmacy can certainly help you in your quest to find the right COVID hair loss treatment for you. Most notably, they can create customizable treatments for your scalp. For example, many minoxidil products on the market contain propylene glycol. If you are allergic or sensitive to this ingredient, your compounding pharmacist can create a formulation without it (and even add more beneficial ingredients).
Minoxidil
One of the most popular treatments for hair loss, minoxidil is best used when you first start noticing hair loss. You can use it as a liquid or foam, and apply it directly to the scalp. Minoxidil usually doesn’t require a prescription, and you don’t need one to have your local compounding pharmacy create a custom formula for you.
Finasteride
While minoxidil is a topical treatment, finasteride is only available on the commercial market as an oral medication. The good news is that a compounding pharmacy may be able to formulate a topical version of finasteride. Unlike minoxidil, however, it does require a prescription from your physician. It works by preventing your body from turning testosterone into DHT, a hormone responsible for damaging hair follicles — it’s often a factor in male pattern baldness.
Hair Loss Doesn’t Have to Be Permanent
If you’re struggling with hair loss, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Your doctor and compounding pharmacist can work together to develop an effective solution for you.
In some cases, you may be deficient in certain vitamins, leading to slow hair growth. If you require supplementation, don’t hesitate to visit our online supplement store or contact our pharmacist at 305-665-4411.
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