Abstract
Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease that is associated with many health conditions, including, but not limited to, dermatological diseases. Some patients suffer from hair loss after becoming infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Acute telogen effluvium (TE) is a non-scarring hair loss that usually occurs three months after a stressful event and can last up to six months, and it can be associated with post-COVID-19 infections. This study aims to explore the prevalence of hair loss among recovered COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia and determine the contributing factors. Furthermore, we aimed to measure the impact of hair loss after COVID-19 on their quality of life.
Methodology An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted from September to December 2021 in Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was used to assess hair loss after being infected with COVID-19. Furthermore, quality of life was assessed using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire. Participants were recruited by sharing the questionnaire on social media platforms (Twitter, Telegram, and WhatsApp). The data were analyzed using SPSS version 23 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Frequency and percentages were used to display categorical variables, while minimum, maximum, mean, and standard deviation were used to present continuous variables. The categorical variables were compared using a chi-square test, and the statistical significance cut-off was set at p < 0.05.
Results A total of 806 participants were included in the study, of whom 52.7% experienced hair loss after COVID-19 infection. Age, gender, high temperature during, and the presence of hair loss prior to infection were significantly associated with the incidence of TE. The severity of life affection based on DLQI showed that 91.4% of the participants did not have severe life affection, while 8.6% had their lives severely affected.
Conclusions This study revealed subjective hair loss that was significantly associated with high temperature, being female, and having a history of previous hair loss. Further studies using objective assessments are suggested for reaching more precise conclusions.