Topic is Sleeping.
Darkness Falls (original poster member #27879) posted at 3:50 AM on Tuesday, September 27th, 2022
Has this happened to any of you? I had Covid a year ago in June and since that time the volume/thickness of my hair is at least half what it was, maybe even less.
Any suggestions? I don’t use heat; don’t dye it; don’t wash too often; wear protective hairstyles. Diet, hydration, and vitamins are good. It’s not damaged or brittle at all; it’s just thinned SO MUCH.
Married -> I cheated -> We divorced -> We remarried -> Had two kids -> Now we’re miserable again
Staying together for the kids
D-day 2010
deena04 ( member #41741) posted at 4:11 AM on Tuesday, September 27th, 2022
I have not heard of this with covid but maybe. Also, could it be hormonal? Could your hormones be doing this or off kilter since Covid? Maybe have that checked.
Me FBS 40s, Him XWS older than me (lovemywife4ever), D, He cheated before M, forgot to tell me. I’m free and loving life.
BearlyBreathing ( member #55075) posted at 5:01 AM on Tuesday, September 27th, 2022
Mine thinned after D-Day/house fire. Stress related. Took about 3 years to come back. I use a thickening shampoo that helps a lot.
(Expensive, but lasts a very long time).
Good luck!
Me: BS 57 (49 on d-day)Him: *who cares ;-) *. D-Day 8/15/2016 LTA. Kinda liking my new life :-)
**horrible typist, lots of edits to correct. :-/ **
Superesse ( member #60731) posted at 5:03 AM on Tuesday, September 27th, 2022
Yes, it happened to me in October of 2020 at age 69, 4-5 months after I was hospitalized (spring of 2020) with low sodium and potassium. I was found to have critically low levels of those electrolytes after 2 months of no appetite, anxiety due to non-stop pandemic bad news, and then the low-grade sinus symptoms I couldn't seem to shake. I first thought they were spring allergies but whatever they were, I went through 2 months of nightly, unproductive coughing fits. The hospital doctor admitted that I might have had the virus and gotten over all but sinus symptoms, since their onset coincided with the first wave of Covid arriving in our community. Post-hospitalization, I felt great, kept my lost weight off, and had the best blood labs I'd seen for many years.
But by early fall, my very long hair began dropping out, and it kept doing so for almost 2 months; I was afraid to wash my hair! Eventually the shedding slowed down enough that I trusted maybe I wouldn't be going bald. But at the time, you don't know!
In 2021, the Delta wave of Covid made the rounds and got 2 of my friends. A few months after they recovered, both complained of excessive hair loss, likely a result of fevers. They are both in their late 70's, however.
Any major stress and/or fever causes more of the hairs on your head to go into dormancy, and you start shedding those dormant hairs 3 months later. But usually, it is temporary, so take heart!
Also, dogs shed this time of year, so maybe we do, too? I have always noticed a little bit of seasonal shedding of my own hair in the fall. Perhaps sickness amplifies a normal biological cycle.
icytoes ( member #79512) posted at 5:09 AM on Tuesday, September 27th, 2022
Every few years I seem to have a couple of months of massive hair loss. It’s hard to tell if it is just a natural cycle or a reaction to stress. I think it happens several months after a very stressful period in my life.
I haven’t had Covid, so I don’t know if there is a connection, but it makes sense that an illness that is stressful on the body could trigger hair loss.
A deficiency in Vitamin B7 (Biotin) is associated with thinning hair so I suggest eating foods that provide Vitamin B7. Salmon, avocados, pork, sweet potato, nuts(walnuts), seeds, cooked eggs, beef liver.
My hair always thickens back up after a few months. Good luck!
wildbananas ( member #10552) posted at 5:13 AM on Tuesday, September 27th, 2022
Yes, we were just talking about that! Covid went through my house in June/July and we're all experiencing hair loss. I also don't dye or use any heat and only wash 2-3 times a week.
I keep thinking I should cut my hair but it's the longest it's been in decades and I just can't make myself do it yet.
Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light. ~ Yogi Bhajan
zebra25 ( member #29431) posted at 1:57 PM on Tuesday, September 27th, 2022
Dr Jen Ashton from Good Morning America talks about this on her IG. She had covid and experienced hair loss/damage. She said about 20% of people that have had covid are experiencing hair loss/damage.
"Don't let anyone who hasn't been in your shoes tell you how to tie your laces."
D-day April 2010
tushnurse ( member #21101) posted at 7:55 PM on Tuesday, September 27th, 2022
definitely common with Covid to have a hair loss/shedding event about 2-3 months after your infection.
I would encourage you to add in a hair/nails supplement and intentionally increase your collagen intake w/ jello or a powder.
If that doesn't help then I would encourage you to get your hormone levels checked.
It's not unusual at all for women to experience a huge change in their hair texture, quality when there are hormonal switches.
For me I always had stick straight fine hair. When I went through menopause my hair became curly, and evidently the same thing happened to a maternal great aunt.
I had shedding after covid. I started a nail/hair supplement prior to the shedding. I have continued it as I have been diligently dieting and working to lose weight. As hair loss is seen when people lose weight quickly, and that is caused by decreased protein intake. So make sure you are getting 60-80 grams of protein a day as well.
Me: FBSHim: FWSKids: 23 & 27 Married for 32 years now, was 16 at the time.D-Day Sept 26 2008R'd in about 2 years. Old Vet now.
annb ( member #22386) posted at 11:27 AM on Wednesday, September 28th, 2022
I had Covid in June and have noticed hair loss. My hair is shoulder length.
I've always had thick hair, it has thinned, I am hoping this is just temporary.
A very good friend of mind was hospitalized with Covid for three weeks in January, she has long hair, very thick, she lost a lot of hair.
Shehawk ( member #68741) posted at 10:23 PM on Friday, September 30th, 2022
I noticed some shedding.
My thyroid hormones and adrenals took at hit from the virus
I use a mlm kind of expensive shampoo that is somewhat controversial but I love it and so do my friends.
I have super long hair so 5 hairs looks like the 🐶🐕 shedding in the shower
I am taking a vegan hair vitamin now, eating protein and using a spray for hair loss (not rogaine or prescription...the mlm again and no I don't sell it....)
Seems to be easing up but terrified me.
"It's a slow fade...when you give yourself away" so don't do it!
Superesse ( member #60731) posted at 2:14 AM on Saturday, October 1st, 2022
Shehawk, that is interesting that you learned your thyroid and adrenal hormone levels were thrown out of whack by the virus. (Makes me wonder if all severe illnesses have a similar influence on those glands...) I've heard of "post-viral syndrome" for years; well, maybe part of that exhaustion is due to these critical hormones changing?
One funny little observation I made of my finger nails and cuticle beds after my hospitalization: for months, I'd find a reddish area just below the nail bed of my middle fingers on each hand (on the skin above the nails themselves). Something that had never happened after any other flu or illness in my life. Plus, I'd develop hang nails on those fingers due to inflammation drying out the skin around the cuticle. And then I noticed a groove in the fingernails right down the center of those nails as they grew out, running from top to bottom. I assumed it was all somehow an after-effect of whatever had hit my body during the spring of 2020.
I'm sure we'd all like to learn more about that, and how to build back up without more Rx solutions!
Oh yes, did anyone else get a fissure in their tongue, like a deep groove in it? That happened at the same time. I was a mess!
The1stWife ( Guide #58832) posted at 11:58 AM on Saturday, October 1st, 2022
Long hauler Covid here. Had it in March 2020. Taste and smell affected for years. Hair loss as well.
I still have smell issues - and some minor taste issues. I don’t tolerate smell well and if I go into a public place and it smells bad or has a strong odor, I have to leave.
Many foods still taste off. Some days are better than others.
But the hair thinning or loss is definitely a Covid side effect.
Survived two affairs and brink of Divorce. Happily reconciled. 10 years out from Dday. Reconciliation takes two committed people to be successful.
Boobookittyfuck ( new member #81177) posted at 4:11 AM on Monday, October 17th, 2022
Hey, I know it's been a bit but I actually follow a trichologist on IG. She suffered from covid hair loss and has many videos on she treated her scalp for regrowth. Rosemary oil mixed with jojoba oil or castor oil is a must.
Incase you want to check her page out her user handle on IG is :thehealthyhur
While I didn't get this side effect from covid I did loose a lot of hair from deep TMS treatment and her methods helped greatly.
Topic is Sleeping.