By Robert Preidt
HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Nov. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Add stress-related hair loss to the numerous issues brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
"I've had patients coming in recently with stress-related hair loss, who tell me they were so worried about dying earlier this year or even that they had COVID-19. But they don't see the effects until three months later," mentioned dermatologist Dr. Ohara Aivaz of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
"It throws the patient off because the stress has resolved, and yet, the physical manifestation is happening now," Aivaz mentioned in a hospital information launch.
Stress-related hair loss sometimes happens three months or extra after a nerve-racking occasion. Why it takes that lengthy is not clear, however the physique might prematurely drive hair into the dormant section of its development cycle, which ultimately results in the hair root shrinking and falling out, consultants say.
If you do have hair loss, it is a good suggestion to have a physician verify for a thyroid subject or anemia. If stress is the trigger, hair loss dietary supplements and time can assist, in accordance with Aivaz.
"If you remove the trigger and the stress level decreases, the majority of the time hair loss stops on its own, and the patient regrows the lost hair because their follicles are still active and healthy," she mentioned.
As the pandemic has progressed, Aivaz and different dermatologists have additionally had extra sufferers in search of therapy for pores and skin points brought on by elevated hand-washing and stress.
In addition to hair loss, stress can set off flares of zits, dandruff and eczema, notably amongst older people who find themselves extra susceptible to COVID-19 and should have been apprehensive about their well being and funds, Aivaz mentioned.
For eczema, she recommends taking brief, lukewarm showers of 10 minutes or much less utilizing fragrance-free cleaning soap within the areas most frequently affected (armpits, groin, toes). But do not overdo it, she famous.
"When skin is really dry, even gentle soap can strip natural oils. Don't wash something that's not soiled," Aivaz mentioned. "Lather soap in your hands, and skip the washcloth, which also can strip your skin."
More info
For extra on stress, see the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health.
SOURCE: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, information launch, Nov. 16, 2020
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