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A Comment on Coronavirus Disease 2019 and the Hair
Hudson Dutra Rezende1, Maria Fernanda Reis Gavazzoni Dias2, Antonia Régnier3
1Department of Dermatology, Alvaro Alvim School Hospital, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil.
International Journal of Trichology
|May 1, 2025
Summary
COVID-19 hair loss and graying are being investigated as potential disease markers. However, current evidence does not convincingly support androgenetic alopecia as an independent risk factor for COVID-19 severity.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic raised questions about its origin, spread, and clinical course.
- Cutaneous manifestations of COVID-19 are being studied for potential roles as disease markers and prognostic indicators.
- Hair-related symptoms and conditions, including androgenetic alopecia (AGA), have been speculatively linked to COVID-19 severity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the proposed association between androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and COVID-19 severity.
- To critically assess the validity of using dermatologic conditions as markers for COVID-19 mortality risk.
- To challenge the designation of the "Gabrin sign" as an indicator of COVID-19 severity.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature and statistical data on COVID-19 and dermatologic conditions.
- Critical analysis of clinicopathological correlations related to hair changes in COVID-19 patients.
- Examination of the evidence supporting AGA and gray hair as independent risk factors for COVID-19 severity.
Main Results:
- Clinicopathological correlations for hair manifestations in COVID-19 remain largely hypothetical.
- Evidence linking androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and gray hair to COVID-19 severity is not statistically convincing as independent risk factors.
- The proposed "Gabrin sign" for AGA as a COVID-19 severity marker lacks robust statistical validation.
Conclusions:
- Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms of COVID-19-associated hair loss.
- Current data do not support AGA as a reliable independent risk factor for COVID-19 severity.
- The focus should be on the contributions of healthcare professionals rather than stigmatizing eponyms.
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