SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19 Vaccination Associated with Post-Acute Alopecia: Prevalence, Clinical Patterns, and Determinants Among Saudi Adults

    May 2026 in “ Viruses ”
    Mohammad A. Jareebi, Radwan A. Abutaleb, Norah M. Qassadi, Atheer A. Akoor, Osama A. Mobarki, Shaden S. Alenezi, Jana M. Alsyrwan, Ahlam H. Hakami, Rayim A Oraybi, Taif Y. Solan, Shatha A. Darbashi, A Almutairi, Saud J. Almutairi, Farjah AlGahtani, Ghazi I. Al Jowf
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    TLDR COVID-19 infection and vaccination are linked to hair loss, especially in women and those with nutritional deficiencies.
    This study examined 1,261 Saudi adults to assess the prevalence and patterns of hair loss following COVID-19 infection and vaccination. It found that 62.4% of participants experienced hair loss, with telogen effluvium being the most common pattern. Hair loss was reported by 49.7% post-infection and 57.5% post-vaccination. Key factors associated with hair loss included female sex, COVID-19 vaccination, prior infection, iron deficiency anemia, and vitamin/mineral deficiency. The study emphasizes the importance of nutritional screening and dermatological evaluation in managing hair loss in this context, although causation cannot be confirmed due to the study's cross-sectional design.
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