COVID Vaccine Hair Loss: Truths and Treatment Options

Since the pandemic started, lots of rumors about the COVID-19 vaccine have circulated — including whispers about hair loss. Is there actually a link between the COVID vaccine and hair loss? Is COVID vaccine hair loss something you should worry about?

While vaccines are generally safe for most people, in rare cases, they can cause side effects such as hair loss. Still, the COVID-19 vaccine is an effective, research-backed vaccine that helps the body develop antibodies to the virus that causes COVID and prevents severe complications from infection. 

And, as it turns out, contracting coronavirus can lead to hair loss. So protecting yourself with the vaccine could actually be the smartest choice for your hairline and overall health.

Below, we’ll outline what the research says about the COVID-19 vaccine and hair loss and explain how to stop excess shedding — whether it’s vaccine-related or not.

There’s not much evidence showing that hair loss is a common side effect of getting vaccinated. Rarely, COVID-19 vaccines — along with some other vaccines — may trigger a form of hair loss known as alopecia areata in certain individuals.

Alopecia Areata After COVID-19 Vaccines

Alopecia areata (sometimes called alopecia universalis) is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system mistakenly targets hair follicles, leading to shedding. This effect can happen across the entire body or just on the head.

In rare cases, COVID-19 vaccines might cause this kind of immune system activation, but there’s not enough research to draw firm conclusions. 

Researchers say alopecia areata is more likely among people predisposed to autoimmunity — in this case, the mRNA vaccine acts as a trigger for the development of autoreactive T-cell clones.

It’s also possible that getting the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination may help prevent hair loss.

Hair Loss Due to COVID Infection

Some folks have experienced hair loss due to COVID. Hair loss from the virus could be telogen effluvium, a temporary form of hair shedding. 

Telogen effluvium can happen when a person contracts a severe illness, such as a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Other possible triggers include:

• Acute illness

• Major surgery

• Stressful or traumatic events

• Ongoing emotional stress

• Significant weight loss

A 2020 study involving 214 people with telogen effluvium found that 90 percent had contracted a COVID-19 infection.

Furthermore, a 2024 nationwide multicenter interrupted time series study looked at data on patients with telogen effluvium and other types of hair loss from 22 hospitals in South Korea.

The authors collected data before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as before and after COVID-19 vaccination. They found a significant increase in cases of telogen effluvium following the pandemic — but not related to vaccination.

It’s extremely difficult to pinpoint the prevalence of hair loss following the COVID-19 vaccine.

More than 13 billion doses of the vaccine have been administered worldwide, including boosters. Since people experience hair loss for any number of reasons, it’s difficult to say with certainty whether the cause is the COVID-19 vaccine.

What’s more, folks with family histories of alopecia areata and thyroid issues are the demographic with a higher risk of experiencing COVID vaccine hair loss.

But to cover all the bases, let’s take a closer look at what the available data says about COVID vaccine hair loss.

Research on COVID Vaccine Hair Loss

A 2022 study noted 915 incidences of alopecia following the Pfizer-Biontech COVID-19 vaccine and Moderna mRNA vaccine. In these cases, hair loss started anywhere from two weeks to four months after getting the second dose (as opposed to the first dose).

It’s worth noting that the findings from this case report are limited in time, scope, and available data. But one promising takeaway is that about 80 percent of the hair loss patients reported hair regrowth since their diagnosis. 

In other words, it’s temporary hair loss.

More recently, a 2024 cross-sectional study with 2,000 Egyptian participants found that just under one-quarter experienced hair loss within two months of getting the COVID-19 vaccine. However, the authors noted that they can’t rule out other factors that could have promoted hair loss, such as stress and infection.

In a 2024 review of 25 articles including 51 participants, researchers found that 53 percent developed new-onset alopecia areata after the COVID-19 vaccine. Recurring or worsening hair loss post-vaccine was reported by 47 percent of those who already had alopecia areata before getting vaccinated.

The most frequently reported hair loss was among those who got the Pfizer vaccine, followed by the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, Moderna mRNA-1273, Sinopharm, and SinoVac vaccines.

Overall, the authors concluded that alopecia areata triggered by the COVID-19 vaccine is rare. But healthcare providers should be aware of the possibility so they can properly diagnose and address it.

The short answer is yes. Researchers say that the risk of post-vaccine hair loss is minimal, temporary, and shouldn’t be a deterrent to receiving the immunization — which offers more benefits than potential harm.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says everyone ages six months and up — especially those 65 and older — should get the newest COVID vaccine to help prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death.

About 80 percent of people report hair regrowth after experiencing hair loss post-vaccine. What’s more, alopecia areata has a high rate of spontaneous remissions, meaning patients often get better without treatment.

In general, treatment for this form of hair loss focuses on addressing the body’s inflammatory immune responses. Treatments might include:

• Corticosteroid injections

• Immunotherapy

• Topical steroids

Your personal recovery journey from alopecia-related hair loss isn’t something we can outline here. A dermatology provider or another healthcare professional can consider the severity of your symptoms and your tolerance for different therapies to determine the best treatment.

Your provider can also help you figure out whether your hair loss was a potential side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine or a result of something else, like another medical issue, a skin condition, physical stressors, or a medication you’re taking.

It depends. But generally, telogen effluvium that may be triggered by COVID or the vaccine can last six to nine months. This is because hair goes into an extended resting vacation before it reenters the growth phase.

Learn more about the stages of the hair growth cycle in our guide.

Many people experience excess hair shedding, and there are a variety of possible explanations for it. One of the most common types of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness.

If you’re experiencing a form of hair loss other than alopecia areata (the type the COVID vaccine can trigger), FDA-approved medications like minoxidil or finasteride could help. Both of these address the root causes of hair loss in male pattern baldness.

You might also consider supplements like our biotin gummies to help boost hair health and support the hair growth cycle. Lifestyle factors, such as maintaining a healthy diet, can also help.

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic was unprecedented and, understandably, left many people with questions. Does the COVID vaccine cause hair loss? It’s unlikely. 

But let’s recap what we know about the COVID vaccine and hair loss:

• COVID can cause temporary hair loss. Some evidence suggests the COVID-19 vaccine is a potential triggering factor of alopecia areata, but this side effect is rare. You’re more likely to experience temporary hair loss as a result of a serious COVID-19 infection than you are from getting the vaccine.

• The vaccine can help prevent COVID-related complications, like hair loss. By getting vaccinated, you can avoid severe complications from COVID. Illness is another possible trigger for a type of hair loss called telogen effluvium — though, again, hair will likely regrow post-COVID.

• COVID-related hair loss is usually temporary. Whether due to an immune response to the vaccine or COVID itself, any lost hair will typically grow back.

Even though it’s technically possible for hair loss to be COVID-related, a number of other factors can cause hair shedding. 

Talk to a dermatologist or another medical professional to determine the root cause of your hair loss. You can also explore hair loss treatment options from Hims.