Greater Susceptibility to Telogen Effluvium in Severe COVID-19 Infection: Findings from a Retrospective Cohort Study

This retrospective cohort study investigated the relationship between COVID-19 severity and the development of telogen effluvium (TE), a form of non-scarring hair loss. Analyzing health records of 10,861 patients diagnosed with COVID-19, the study found that 168 patients developed TE. Those who required emergency or inpatient care for COVID-19 were more likely to develop TE compared to outpatients (3.0% vs. 1.4%, p < 0.001), with higher odds of TE on multivariate analysis (aOR: 2.56; 95% CI: 1.72–3.72, p < 0.001). The findings suggest that TE is a potential consequence of severe COVID-19 infection, highlighting the need for clinicians to monitor and counsel patients, especially those hospitalized for COVID-19, about the risk of TE.