We’re Losing Our Hair From COVID Stress

Sometimes I wonder how I'm not already bald because I shed more hair than my cat.

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By Daphne Lee, News Editor Sometimes I wonder how I'm not already bald because I shed more hair than my cat. But recently I found something to blame: pandemic stress. Today's Top Story The Pandemic Is Causing a Hair Loss Crisis A study found that 22% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients started losing massive clumps of hair months after their recovery. But even people who didn't catch the virus have found themselves struggling with hair loss.   Medical experts said that the COVID-19 virus itself may not have led to thinning hair. Heightened stress is likely the culprit.   This type of hair loss is called telogen effluvium, a temporary condition caused by intense stress. It often happens three months after a physically or emotionally traumatic event, like severe illness, grief, and sudden job loss. All of these happened at an unprecedented rate during the pandemic. Know More Aside from stress, deficiencies in iron, biotin, vitamin B12, and other essential nutrients can also contribute to hair loss. Your doctor may suggest common blood tests to rule out any abnormalities in your vitamin and mineral levels as the root cause. Feel Better If you're struggling with telogen effluvium, don't panic. The condition usually goes away after a few months and it won't permanently damage your hair follicles. In the meantime, you can try to reduce your stress levels by prioritizing sleep and practicing deep breathing. READ MORE Pfizer's Booster Shot Is Effective Against Omicron Preliminary data suggested that two shots of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine may not be sufficient to protect against infection with the Omicron variant. But a third dose could restore the neutralizing antibody levels by 25-fold, comparable to protection offered by the two doses against previous strains, according to Pfizer. READ MORE Authorities Finally Plan to Regulate 'Forever Chemicals' For decades, PFAS, a class of more than 4,700 chemicals also known as "forever chemicals," has seeped into our soil, drinking water, and everyday products like nonstick pans and cosmetics. These toxic chemicals are linked to various cancers, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and more, and they can accumulate in the body since they take thousands of years to decompose. Recently, the EPA finally announced a plan to set legal limits of PFAS in drinking water. But we still have a long way to go in terms of cleanup efforts and holding U.S. manufacturers accountable. READ MORE     In an interview with Verywell, Meg Mill, PharmD, said that the number one way to tackle telogen effluvium is to reduce cortisol, the stress hormone. Beginning practices such as meditation, mindfulness, gratitude journaling that help your body relax are beneficial in reducing cortisol levels and increasing hair regrowth. Concentrate on reducing your stress and eating a variety of nutrients in your diet to regain your lush locks. Meg Mill, PharmD Functional Medicine Practitioner   In Other News   ■ I Thought We'd All Be Single Together. The Cut     ■ The Santa Claus Shortage, Explained. Slate     ■ Birds Aren't Real. Inside a Gen Z Conspiracy Theory. The New York Times More From Verywell Thyroid Disease and Hair Loss READ MORE Vitamin D Deficiency and Headaches READ MORE 10 Best Biotin Supplements READ MORE   How'd we do? If you have any feedback, send us a note at   feedback@verywell.com.       You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Verywell Health newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here.   A DOTDASH BRAND 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10005   © 2021 verywellhealth.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy