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COVID longhauler

Alyssa Milano reveals hair loss from COVID-19

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.

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

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