When fighting infection or disease, the body uses a lot of energy, so it takes resources from non-vital functions such as nail and hair growth and instead used to help the body fight the disease and recover.
As a result, hair follicles enter into the “rest phase” of the hair cycle all at once, instead of in various phases. This type of hair loss is called “telogen effluvium.” It isn’t permanent, but can be jarring and scary for clients.
My Clients Are Seeing More Hair Loss, But Only A Few Have Had The Virus. Why Is That?
Stress is enough to put your hair follicles into reverse, and as we all know, the last six months have been…stressful, to say the least. Stress hormones are normally useful as they prepare us for ‘fight or flight’ mode. Hormones are released, blood glucose is mobilized and ready to feed the muscles and to repair the immune system. Unfortunately, it is often at the expense of hair and nail growth.
