Hair loss

Hair loss is a symptom that occurs occasionally in ME/CFS. It can also be a symptom of comorbid illnesses such as hypothyroidism, systemic lupus erythematosus and is sometimes found in Long COVID patients. Hair loss can refer to either a hair loss condition such as alopecia areata, where patches of scalp lose all or virtually all hair, or as telogen effluvium, which is a general thinning of hair across the head where hair loss is typically less than 50% of hair.

Prevalence
The Canadian Consensus Criteria recognizes hair loss as a neuroendocrine system symptom in ME/CFS. Katrina Berne reports a prevalence of 20-35% for hair loss.

Potential causes

 * Endocrine changes
 * Medication side effecta (e.g. DHEA, Ampligen, Elmiron)
 * Lysine deficiency
 * Excessive Vitamin A intake
 * Excessive selenium intake
 * Increase in stress hormones
 * Any serious illness can cause telogen effluvium, including COVID-19 and ME/CFS

Potential treatments

 * Treatment of comorbid illnesses such as hypothyroidism or systemic lupus erythematosus
 * Avoidance of harsh hair products
 * B vitamins
 * Coenzyme Q10
 * Ginkgo biloba
 * Inositol

Learn more

 * Alopecia areata - symptoms
 * Hair loss - NHS
 * Hair loss symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic
 * Understanding Hair Loss: Basics - WebMD
 * What causes Telogen Effluvium - WebMD