EXPERIENCING HAIR LOSS

While most patients who contract respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or swine flu are expected to make a full recovery, it’s not uncommon for certain symptoms to linger in the body even after the virus has cleared up. There is a somewhat unexpected postinfection symptom that Covid-19, swine flu and RSV have in common – hair loss. By Dr Judey Pretorius, founder of Biomedical Emporium skincare.

We’re now a couple of years post-pandemic, and as we enter flu season in South Africa, it’s important to take extra precautions to strengthen our immune systems and protect our health. This winter, swine flu and RSV are two viruses of concern, with both showing prominence among those experiencing flu-like symptoms throughout the country.

The symptoms of swine flu are very similar to the symptoms of regular flu. These may include fever, body aches, chills, fatigue, a sore throat, and headaches. RSV causes infection of the respiratory tract, resulting in a high fever, wheezing of the chest, rapid or difficulty breathing and a bad cough.

One of the most surprising concerns many people experienced after recovering from Covid-19, was hair loss, and now we’re seeing similar reports with the rise of swine flu and RSV.

Experiencing hair loss after recovering from a virus is not as uncommon as you may have thought. Despite being unpleasant and frustrating, in most cases it is normal and temporary. To understand why we shed a lot of hair postillness, one needs to consider the hair growth process.

Our hair growth and loss cycle has three different phases:

1. Anagen (growth) is also known as the “active phase.” In this phase, cells in the lower part of a hair follicle rapidly divide to form a new hair. Once a new hair has developed, it is pushed out of the follicle. It is estimated that between 80% and 90% of our hair follicles are in anagen phase at any given time.

2. Catagen (resting) is a transitional stage which lasts around two weeks. During this stage, hair follicles regress and detach from the dermal papilla. The catagen stage represents the end of active hair growth. Hairs are cut off from blood supply and from the cells that produce new hair. It is estimated that around 5% of all our hairs are in the catagen phase at any given time.

3. Telogen (shedding) is also known as the “resting” phase and occurs when the hair follicles become dormant. The hair is kept in its follicle by a white bulb of keratin until it sheds. Once it sheds, the hair growth cycle starts all over again. Around 5–10% of all hair is in the telogen phase at any given time.

Known as telogen effluvium, excessive hair shedding after illness is due to more hair than usual entering the telogen phase of the hair growth cycle. When a lot more hair enters this phase at the same time, it’ll shed at the same time, resulting in excessive hair loss. The normal hair growth cycle is shocked or stressed by a trigger, such as a high fever, illness or stress. If you’ve been ill, you may notice hair shedding around two to three months after the infection. While the shedding is usually not permanent, it may last for several months and result in sparse patches that take a long to grow out.

While there isn’t much one can do to prevent telogen effluvium from happening post-infection, there is plenty one can do to increase hair growth in individuals suffering from this type of hair loss.

Biomedical Emporium’s PRP Scalp Serum is a professional scalp treatment protocol for those experiencing hair thinning and hair loss, including bald patches. It makes use of platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections to stimulate hair growth and protect hair follicles from premature shedding. You can enhance the effect of your professional treatment with Biomedical Emporium’s Scalp Serum, a home care product applied to the scalp after the hair has been washed.

While healthy hair growth can be stimulated by means of professional treatments and quality home care products, it also relies on a healthy lifestyle and diet.

For more information, visit www.biomedicalemporium.com/.

Dr. Judey Pretorius is an accomplished biomedical scientist and product development specialist with experience in the fields of wound healing, regenerative medicine, and cell therapy. She earned her Master in Genetics and Molecular Biology and received her Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug and development design. Dr Judey also completed her Advanced Diploma in Dermal Aesthetics.