There is some info going around the beauty industry in Los Angeles that hair stylists and eyelash artists are noticing signifigant hair loss in their clients that have either had Covid or who are recovering from an overly stressful time during our intense lockdown. If this is you, I want you to know you are not alone. Californians may have suffered more stress than most of the country during the past year, particularly Anglenos. Clients who had Covid were terrified of having to go to the hospital in an already overcrowded situation and then the “not knowing” of how bad it could get or what kind of care you would receive even if you did get a hospital bed wasn’t the only thing they were wrestling with. Many had young children at home depending on them and work that couldn’t be done while they were so ill. Then, there was shame. All the questions like “How did I get this?” or “Could I have been more careful?’ or “Did I or will I pass it to others?” All of this, on top of being violently ill and short of breath is enough to cause the most severe form of stress in the human body.
Alopecia Areata is a term used for hair loss caused by extreme stress. Even if you did not suffer from the actual virus itself, you may have still suffered from the actual pandemic and all that came in that time. This type of hair loss can affect the scalp, eyelashes and other parts of the body and usually shows up a couple of weeks after the situation. So, with a pandemic, clients may have been suffering minor hair loss the whole year without even knowing it, until they see their hair stylist of lash extension artist who remembers this detail about them. This type of alopecia usually grows back once the person is removed from the stress but lots of self-love and patience are required as it can take several months.
Medications and extreme diet changes can also cause hair loss but the rate at which it shows up is much slower. Clients who took antibiotics during this time may not see the hair loss for about four to six months after the body has adjusted. So, a person on a medication for Covid may suffer even more hair loss than a normal person who was unharmed during the pandemic. But really, were any of us unharmed?
Should you see extra hair in your shower drain, hairbrush or sink, try not to stress. Stressing about the hair loss will only make the situation worse. Try to take a deep breath and be grateful you made it through. Love yourself right now and be as kind as possible. Your hair will grow back.
