Alyssa Milano reveals hair loss from COVID-19

Alyssa Milano.
(Image credit: Rich Fury/Getty Images)

Actress Alyssa Milano took to Instagram to warn her followers of the lasting effects of COVID-19. She posted a video of herself brushing her wet hair, and after three strokes with a clean brush, she reveals a clump of hair that fell out. She then repeats the process a few times.

Milano said she was sick with coronavirus symptoms late March into April, but multiple COVID-19 tests came back negative. After four months of lingering symptoms, she got a blood-drawn antibody test, which showed she was positive for COVID-19 antibodies.

Shilpi Khetarpal, a dermatologist at Cleveland Clinic, said in an article that she is seeing an increase in reports of hair loss in patients who had COVID-19 two to three months ago. The condition is called telogen effluvium, which is temporary hair loss due to a "shock to the system," she said. "[It] isn't a symptom of COVID-19 as much as it is a consequence of the infection." The condition can last up to nine months, and most cases resolve on their own.

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Milano concluded her video by saying, "One brushing, this is my hair loss from COVID-19. Wear a damn mask." Watch the video below. Taylor Watson

View this post on InstagramA post shared by Alyssa Milano (@milano_alyssa) on Aug 9, 2020 at 1:23pm PDT

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Taylor Watson

Taylor Watson is audience engagement editor for TheWeek.com and a former editorial assistant. She graduated from Syracuse University, with a major in magazine journalism and minors in food studies and nutrition. Taylor has previously written for Runner's World, Vice, and more.