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Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil as Treatment for COVID-19-Related Telogen Effluvium: Results From a Retrospective Series of
C D Villarreal-Villarreal1, E Boland-Rodriguez2, D Mares-Custodio3
1CEDAVI Derma Experts, Hair Restoration Unit, Monterrey, Mexico; Tecnológico de Monterrey - Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Monterrey, Mexico.
Background And Objective:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) associated telogen effluvium (CATE) has been observed in patients after infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Although it is self-limiting, hair loss can be very distressing, and some patients may seek medical treatment to help promote hair regrowth. Low-dose oral minoxidil (LDOM) has emerged as a novel and very efficient therapy for different types of alopecia. However, information on its safety and efficacy profile in the management of CATE remains scarce. This study aims to evaluate the treatment response to LDOM in CATE patients.
Methods:
We conducted a retrospective study at a single dermatology center. Adult patients diagnosed with telogen effluvium from December 2020 to October 2022, with a prior history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and treated with LDOM were included. The efficacy of LDOM was evaluated with the hair-shedding score (HSS).
Results:
In all, 69 patients, 50 (72.5%) women and 19 (27.5%) men were included. A total of 55 patients (79.7%) exhibited mild and moderate symptoms; 8 (11.5%), severe disease; and 6 (8.7%) remained asymptomatic. The time elapsed between COVID-19 and telogen effluvium diagnosis was 117 days (80-181). The HSS continuously decreased during the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th visits after treatment initiation. Compared with baseline, the median (interquartile range) HSS was significantly lower at the 2nd visit (5 [5-6]; P<.001), the 3rd visit (4 [3-5]; P<.001), and the 4th visit (2 [1-2]; P<.001). The time for telogen effluvium resolution was 93 days (55-148).
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that LDOM is a safe and effective therapy for patients with CATE.
