According to the International Journal of Dermatology and the US National Library of Medicine (NCBI), hair loss has been found to be a late onset symptom of COVID-19 with almost 25% of patients reporting the issue.

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The pandemic didn't just affect the near and dear ones of those inflected by the virus, according to the New York Times, the pandemic also gave rise to incidents of stress-induced hair loss due to the uncertainty and stress of the times. With the expertise of over 400 trained trichologists and homeopaths, Dr Batra's - the leading chain of homeopathic clinics across the world, shed light on the reasons behind hair loss during the pandemic.

During the Pandemic, a spike in 3 different types of hair loss were noticed, namely:

Telogen effluvium: Is acute hair loss that is experienced when the body goes through physical trauma such as illness, pregnancy or even a crash diet. According to a study on patients in the US, 33% of COVID-19 survivors experienced Telogen effluvium hair loss. A COVID-19 survivor, experiences this type of acute hair loss due to the body's weakness from the illness.

Signs: If one is losing much more hair than usual (normal hair loss is 80-100 strands a day) or see visible clumps of hair on the pillow, brush or bathroom drain, then they can have Telogen Effluvium.

Alopecia Areata: Is an autoimmune disease that is known to be triggered in response to a mental stress.

Signs: One will probably notice a bald spot or patch of hair loss in one or multiple areas of the head. These bald spots can appear very quickly and can rapidly multiply. A large increase in cases of Alopecia Areata were seen in patients due to financial and job security stress that emanated from the pandemic.

Trichotillomania: A type of hair loss that is caused when the patient pulls their own hair out, usually in response to emotional stress. This condition is 6 times more prevalent in women and is seen in teenagers between the ages of 14-17.

Signs: As people with this illness tend to pull their hair out from the roots, it can lead to bald patches on their heads, eyebrows and other parts of the body. Since the hair is pulled out, broken hair of different lengths can be a tell tale sign of this type of hair loss. The incidence of trichotillomania during the pandemic increased hugely in teenagers due to emotional stressors such as having to socially distance from their friends and due to anxiety of the future.

Commenting on the surge in hair loss cases during the Pandemic, Dr. Akshay Batra, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Dr Batra's Group of Companies and the 1st Indian President of The Trichological Society, London; said, "The mental, physical and emotional rollercoaster of the Pandemic has definitely brought about a spike in hair loss during the Pandemic. Part of it is due to the effects of the virus itself while the otherpart due to its emotional fallout. However the good news is, that hairloss due to COVID-19 is not permanent and with the right combination of Homeopathy and US FDA approved Hair Vitalising treatment, hair can regrow back fully. Our hair doctors through a simple video microscopy test will get to the root of your hair issues and will start a plan of treatment to restore your hair naturally."