Hair loss after covid ICU coma

[Ccie]

I contracted covid, working in the education field, id thought id get it from the kids or staff. I was super super particularly with face wearing and hand hygiene. After being home with covid for 3 days, i collapsed in the bathroom, my husband called the ambulance, thinking i was only dehydrated, i was in hospital on oxygen for 1 day, stayed overnight and then diagnosed with pneumonia. I was sedated and put in ICU in a coma on a ventilator for 15 days. After being awaken, i couldnt talk as damage had been done to my voicebox, my voice has returned but i cant scream anymore ( husband is wrapped) and my laugh has changed. I couldnt walk or have much co ordination with my hand to mouth. I was so weak i couldnt peel a banana.

Its been 2 months since being home, 2nd lease of life. I can walk etc as before i got sick.

HAIR LOSS omg....my hair was long, past my knees. I lost about 50% of my hair. I had to cut it by half, how so so sad, to alleviate the weight(which i thought was the cause of my hair loss).

Ive had long hair most of my life. My 19 year old son told me im not me without my long hair. He has never seen me with short hair. Its become extremely depressing.

My nails have terrible ridges in them, im told its called Beaus lines.

I couldnt return to my much loved job as the covid virus is still active and i was recommended by the lung specialists to take more time off to recover.

Had to put on weight to help with my recovery. Now, its trying to loose weight, sweep and vacuum the house every day due to the amount of hair laying around.

Will i be bald soon? Its been 4 weeks since first noticing clumps of hair falling out. Everytime i wash my hair its almost like im pulling handfulls out. You can tell where ive been in the house, theres a trail of hair.

Im 57 years old, just started greying and since being home from the coma, have heaps more greys. A woman that has always been proud of my long ungreyed hair, im very sad.

Hey, im one of the lucky ones not to have any other ailments from covid and the coma.

There are worse things in life, of course..hoping my hair returns to how it used to be.

[Sepsur]

Telogen effluvium is a common side effect of critical illness. Most people start seeing improvement over a few month - mine grew back soft ( but whiter)😊

[Gooddaysunshine]

Yes, mine came out in clumps too, it was like we had a dog in the house shedding hair.But after about six months it stopped, hopefully yours should stop after a few months too. It is a known phenomenon of being in ICU.

I have to say my hair is now thinner and slightly greyer, but it looks normal enough. And after everything else with covid it was one of my lesser worries - compared with say fatigue.

[Dutchey]

Yep, just as I was starting to feel stronger & have some lung / heart ‘control’ back…..the telogen effluvium kicked in.One of my daughters also got it, and we think just because of the stress I (the whole ICU Covid situation caused).

One of my team was a hairdresser and she’s been trimming my hair, as just so much was ‘dead’ hair (or at least the ends).

I’m now 6/12 since coming home, 7.5/12 post getting ill and it’s definitely growing back……like new baby hair. I used to be light blonde, this seems darker but still curly.

I decided that I wanted to do something, rather than nothing (but more to support my teenage daughter), so bought some Niotin / Biotin shampoo stuff, and bought us both hair-specific vitamins.

I know it was time it really needed, I understood that my body had been through a huge trauma and I kept telling myself that it’s a small price to pay for being alive…..but it did feel better trying to help my body 🤗

You are part of history, a hugely traumatic experience - physically and emotionally (for you and the family / friends) but you (we) survived! Best of luck with the continued rollercoaster rehabilitation, our bodies are capable of amazing rehabilitation.

I thought I could upload a couple of pictures of the 2/12 and 6/12 post Covid ICU hair as it’s really improving 🤗 but I can only do one picture. I’ll get my kids to ‘sort’ it….

[Gemeg]

Hello, my hair fell out in clumps after a period in ICU. Mine was shoulder length straight, so chopped it to jaw line as I thought it was the heaviness.

Eventually I shaved it, personal choice as I found the process of losing clumps of hair daily really hard to deal with.

Initial grow back was finer, but now I have ringlet curls!! Which I love.

All the best on your recovery journey

[Really123]

It's very common happened to me after a month coming off ventilator. It's scary I know exactly how you feel but don't stress it'll return. Mine went so thin you could see my scalp, now 6 months later it's back with a vengeance thicker than ever. It's a small price to pay I feel but upsetting nevertheless.

[Sleepalotmore]

Hello Ccie,Please, please stop worrying about you hair loss and poor nails. As well as all weakness etc you are experiencing. I too had all these things after being in icu on an ECMO machine as well as havin a trachiotomy and being in a coma for over a month back in December 2019/February 2020. I never had covid but did contract pneumonia and been told I nearly lost my life more than once!

You'd think that I'd be happy at being home and alive, which I was obviously. But like you, my hair fell out by the handful and my nails had unsightly ridges as well as incredibly dry skin. This happened once I was home in the March. I was horrified at my hair loss and cried so much.

But, please don't worry, you won't go bald! 2 years on and my hair is still fragile and a different texture. But not falling out so much. I'm told it's all normal and part of the shock to the body at bring so very ill.

You will recover. But so far in my experience, I'm still weaker than I used to be and tire easily. But alive!

I'm also 58 now so was 56 when I was poorly and I also work in a school.

Back at work now since last September, but I could've gone back in May 2020 but due to covid I had to stay home until it was deemed safer.

Pkeasexstay strong, you will get there x

[Covidkid]

Hello! I was in icu in December 2020 and 14 months later I’m still long covid but like you; alive! I wasn’t ventilated as I refused! My hair started to fall out in clumps, literally and I had to have it all cut off, I lost my eyebrows and lashes too! My hair was always very thick and it has started to both regrow and thicken! I use a shampoo from Pantene for hair loss, my hair feels better but it’s not quite the same! Hang in there!!

[Myfanwy58]

So very sorry you’re experiencing this hair loss, particularly after everything you’ve gone through. After being diagnosed with C-19, I too met with this distressing sequela of critical illness & ICU. As others have mentioned, your hair loss is likely to be identified as Telogen Effluvium. Do look it up (much info out there) and/or consult with your GP for added reassurance. I was always known for my long, wavy, thick auburn hair so absolutely shocked when around 8 weeks following hospital discharge my hair began to seriously matt when wet, occasionally needing to be cut out in parts. It also started falling out en masse. When washing in the shower, when gently combing, even when not actively doing anything to it! I had approx 40-50% loss, my scalp showing through in several areas. My hubby (medical dr) sympathised, explaining the cause. It was text book presentation he said. Well, he was right. It took approx 6 agonising months for me to observe the first sign of recovery. Little soft wisps of hair growing. After 12 months or so, it began growing back at my normal rate, although somewhat more frizzy and delicate. 18mths later and it was well on its way back. My hair has now returned to its original thick volume, although it’s slightly less wavy than it used to be and definitely needs more love and attention than ever. Good styling products essential. So, please be reassured that you’re highly unlikely to be going bald, and that your hair will before too long start growing again. Warmest wishes for your recovery 🥀

[HalfPint11]

I can relate to so much of your post and all the responses. I am a bit further down the road than you and there was a time when I thought "Will I go bald". I was scared to wash my hair because so much came out. I know we are all so grateful to still be here but your confidence is low when you come out of hospital and you are in unknown territory. As you sit in the chair for hours on end not being able to drive or even walk to the garden unaided just being able to wash your hair and look a bit more your old self can be such a boost. So the hair loss can be really difficult to deal with. May and June 2021 were the worst months for my hair loss. Thankfully for me it did improve an now 6 months later while it isn't as thick as it was it is definitely on the way. I can at least style it now and people cant really see any problem with it. I did pluck up the courage to go back to my hairdresser in October and she was lovely and so understanding. She had been looking after a few ladies who had been though the same. She recommended having the ends trimmed once a month and using products to get some moisture back in the hair as it was so dry. I have never spent so much on hair care products!

Can also relate to your comment about your laugh as mine has changed significantly!. My family smile every time they hear it which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Take care. It will get better

xx

[CLM68]

Hair loss after a stay in ICU is incredibly common. I lost a lot of my hair a couple of weeks after leaving hospital. I had lovely thick and long hair, it was a shock when it started to fall out in great big handfuls and I hated washing it. I had fabulous long nails and they started growing through with ridges and much thinner. My hair eventually started to fall out less but it took a couple of months and I had it cut to shoulder length. When I held the hair out, I could see the new growth coming through.

My hair also came back with white hairs but my consultant confirmed that was because of the stress my body had been under.

My voice has never been the same after being intubated for so long.

I wasn't allowed back to work for 6 months as I also suffered from PTSD plus I had to learn to walk again and work on getting my memory back.I didn't have COVID but had H1N1 which shares many of the same symptoms. It does get better and I invest in hair dye!

[slimsimmons1984]

My mother and I both lost hair in large amounts, mine started to thicken after about 6 months, I'm noticing I'm still a little thin on top 14 months past,

[Copse77]

I am sorry to hear about your hair loss and your illness. . Iron levels as ferritin stored protein need to be around 50-100 to support hair growth. There are also shampoos and tonics containing caffeine that can help hair look thicker. Plantur 39 is popular in UK for women over 40 as hormones can impact too. It comes in a tonic which you can apply daily. I experienced hair loss. I was visiting my family member in ICU every day for months pre Covid then when he was recovering I gave blood 3 times in a year as a way to thank NHS for all the transfusions he received. My ferritin was down at 9 at its lowest so I was put on iron tablets by my Dr and stopped giving blood for a time . I hope your recovery continues well and your hair should recover.

[Ccie in reply to Copse77]

Many thanks.My hair is so thin now im really worried. I came out of hospital in mid Nov..in the last month, ive lost about 3/4 ,,of the thickness of my hair. They say it lasts up to 6 months, omg, i dont think I'll have any hair by the end of Feb.

I am low with my iron so am on iron tablets.

Wish id lost more body hair than the hair on my head

🥵😔.It is what it is im trying to stay positive, exercising more, watching my diet, preparing to go back to work.

Take care.

Many thanks

[Copse77]

Here is the link to Ferritin. webmd.com/skin-problems-and...