THE DEVELOPMENT OF TELOGEN EFFLUVIUM POST-COVID-19 AND ITS IMPLICATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH PREVIOUS ALOPECIA

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV-2 viral infection has triggered sequelae in several patients, including dermatological manifestations such as telogen effluvium. However, the implications generated in patients with previous alopecia have revealed how the concomitance of alopecia areata or androgenetic alopecia with Covid-19 infection can cause anything from exacerbation of telogen effluvium to a worse prognosis for the virus. This study aimed to analyze the development and correlation between telogen effluvium and Covid-19 infection in patients with pre-existing alopecia, as well as the implications of medication, supplementation, treatment and vaccination. METHODS: The study is a narrative literature review, based on 19 articles found in the Google Scholar and PubMed databases that fit the inclusion criteria defined for the study. DISCUSSION: The increased incidence of telogen effluvium due to Covid-19 in patients with pre-existing androgenetic alopecia could not be verified, since the disease was actually shown to be a risk factor for the viral infection. On the other hand, the existence of alopecia areata prior to coronavirus infection revealed both exacerbation and recurrence of telogen effluvium.