It is just six months that coronavirus has emerged. But in this short span of time, a lot of research and studies have come out of the virus. Studies have revealed that elderly, men and those with co- morbidities are at a higher risk of infecting the virus. Well, a new interesting study has come out saying that men with male pattern baldness are at higher risk for coronavirus.
The condition that causes baldness is not known. However, several studies have noted that male hormone androgen causes leads to hair loss. The researchers believe that Androgen increases the risk of Covid disease.
The link between male pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia) is proposed based on two different studies. The researchers called the baldness risk factor as ‘Gabrin’s sign’. It was called after Dr Frank Gabrin, who was the first US physician to die of COVID-19. Dr Gabrin had male pattern baldness and was bilateral testicular cancer.
In the first study, forty one coronavirus patients with bilateral pneumonia were analysed. About 71 percent of the patients had significant Androgenic Alopecia and the rest had only some signs of it. The second study involved 175 covid patients and of which 79 per cent men and 42 of women had Androgenic Alopecia.
Androgenic Alopecia is one of the common causes of hair loss in men. It also occurs in women but hair loss pattern differs. Men may loss all hair unlike women.
Lead author of the study Dr. Carlos Wambier was quoted as saying that androgens or male hormones could be the gateway for the virus to enter the cells.
