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Hair problem
After an illness with fever, an infection, a hospital stay or surgery under anaesthesia, it is common to notice that your hair is falling out more than usual. In most cases the shedding is temporary and the hair grows back. Here we explain why it happens, what helps and what the clinic can suggest.
Reviewed by Dr Michelle Campagnoli, clinical director
How to recognise it
Hair loss after an illness or surgery follows a pattern: it begins months later and spreads across the whole scalp. These signs help you see whether it is your case.
Tick what you recognise
Tick the signs you recognise in your case. This is not a diagnosis, it is only meant to give you an idea.
You recognise some of the signs. It may be linked to the illness or have another cause. Only a medical assessment can say for sure.
Several signs match hair loss after illness. It is common and, in many cases, reversible, but an assessment is worthwhile to see what else is contributing. Only a medical assessment can confirm it.
Book an assessment consultationSudden hair loss in patches, a painful or sore scalp, or tiredness that does not go away should be seen without delay. If you are still recovering, always follow your own doctor's advice.
Parting. It is usually the first sign: it widens because the hair becomes thinner across the whole scalp.
Top of the head. Diffuse thinning shows here, with the scalp becoming more visible under light.
Temples. Hair may also thin near the ears, but without the marked gaps seen in other types of alopecia.
Why it happens
It is almost never just one thing. Choose a cause to see what makes it worse and what helps.
An illness with a high fever or an infection is a shock to the body. Many hairs move to the shedding phase together, which shows two to four months later.
Going back to your usual pace too quickly, without recovering.
Giving the body time and resuming your routine gradually.
Surgery under general anaesthesia is a significant physical stress, to which are added fasting, blood loss and medication, and it can trigger hair loss months later.
A rushed recovery with little rest.
Following the instructions of the team that operated on you and respecting rest.
During an illness it is common to eat little and lose weight. Iron, vitamin D, zinc or protein may run low, and they matter for the hair. Only a blood test can confirm it.
Poor appetite and meals low in protein.
Meals with protein and, when useful, blood tests and supervised replacement.
Some medicines and treatments can influence the hair. Never stop or change a medication without talking to the doctor who prescribed it.
Stopping medication on your own because of your hair.
Talking to your doctor and telling the clinic's doctor what you take.
The hair loss may have other causes at the same time, such as the thyroid, hormones or stress. That is why it is worth having an assessment rather than assuming it is only the illness.
Putting everything down to the illness and postponing the assessment.
A consultation to look at the whole picture and not just one factor.
Temporary or needs assessment
In most cases, hair loss after illness is temporary. These signs help tell it apart from hair loss that deserves a consultation.
How it looks. More hair falls out diffusely, two to four months after the illness or surgery. The parting widens and the ponytail gets thinner.
When it eases. In many cases it eases after a few months, as the body recovers, and the hair gradually recovers over several months.
What the clinic does. The doctor confirms the pattern, requests blood tests if useful and proposes the plan.
At home. Rest, meals with protein, gentle hair care and patience.
What it looks like. The hair loss does not ease after six months, leaves bare patches or comes with an inflamed scalp.
Pay attention. Hair loss in patches, pain, sores or tiredness that does not go away call for an assessment.
What the clinic does. The doctor looks for other causes, such as deficiencies, the thyroid or hormones.
Tell us at the consultation. Which illness or surgery you had, when, and which medicines you take: it helps in choosing.
Did you have an illness or surgery? Tell us at the consultation, so the doctor has the full picture. Hair usually recovers once the body returns to balance.
Book an assessment consultationWhat the clinic can do
When hair loss is linked to an illness or surgery, the first step is to give the body time and see what is lacking. These are the treatments the doctor may suggest to strengthen the follicle, always after seeing your case.
Regeneration
Vitamins, amino acids, minerals and hyaluronic acid, to nourish the scalp and support weakened hair.
Suitable when
the hair is weak after an illness and the doctor considers the scalp nutrition appropriate.
Find out more→
Regeneration
Platelet-rich plasma, obtained from your own blood, to stimulate the follicle. The doctor first assesses whether it is appropriate.
Suitable when
hair loss continues after the body has recovered and any deficiencies have been corrected.
Find out more→
Advanced regeneration
Regenerative solution to support follicle repair and improve hair thickness.
Suitable when
the doctor considers it useful to reinforce the plan with a regenerating active ingredient.
Find out more→What about oral therapy? It is often the starting point, to replace what is lacking, and it is always chosen by the doctor after assessment and, if useful, blood tests. Results are gradual.
What the journey looks like
No treatment starts without an assessment consultation with the doctor. This is how it works.
The doctor asks which illness or surgery you had and when, how your recovery is going, what you eat and which medicines you take, and examines your scalp.
If useful, requests blood tests for iron, vitamins, zinc and the thyroid, and explains what to expect and how long it may take.
It combines what to replace, home care and, if justified, a treatment, adapted to where you are in your recovery.
We look at your hair again after a few months and adjust, because recovery is slow and follows that of the body.
Day to day
Resting, eating well and being patient count for more than any product. These are the habits that matter most.
The golden rule
Hair is among the first to feel an illness and the last to recover. Resting, eating protein and resuming your pace gradually help the hair and the rest of the body.
The body recovers while you sleep.
In practice: keep regular hours and respect the rest advised by your doctor.
Hair is made of protein and needs nutrients.
In practice: include eggs, fish, pulses or yoghurt and a variety of vegetables at every meal.
Going back too fast slows recovery.
In practice: increase activity gradually, with your doctor's approval.
Weakened strands break easily.
In practice: brush slowly, use moderate heat and wear loose hairstyles.
It can be a risk and is not the solution for the hair.
In practice: always talk to the doctor who prescribed it before changing or suspending it.
Cutting calories worsens hair loss and slows recovery.
In practice: eat enough and favour nutrient-rich foods.
Taking several supplements on your own may not solve anything and can do harm.
In practice: speak to the doctor before taking supplements, especially iron.
Bleaching and straightening weaken hair that is already tired.
In practice: space out dyes and chemical treatments until your hair recovers.
Who will look after you
At Luxmed, the first step is always an assessment consultation with Dra. Michelle Campagnoli. She works out what is contributing to the hair loss, requests tests if useful and designs the plan with you.
Hair medicine
Why hair can fall out months later and how long it takes to recover.
Read the article →
Hair medicine
What can happen to your hair after surgery and when to ask for help.
Read the article →
Hair medicine
Simple habits to return gradually to your usual pace.
Read the article →Other hair problems
Book a consultation
Choose how you prefer to get in touch. We will arrange the assessment consultation with Dr Michelle Campagnoli.
New Life Miraflores, Algés · Office Center, R. Santa Teresa do Menino Jesus n.º 6, 9.º C, 1495-048
Your details are used only for this contact. Any treatment depends on a prior medical assessment.
Yes, it can. An illness with fever, an infection or a hospital stay can send many hairs into the shedding phase at the same time. Each person is different, and only an assessment can say what weighs in your case.
Surgery under anaesthesia is a significant physical stress and can trigger hair loss months later. Each case is different, so an assessment is worthwhile.
It usually starts two to four months later, which is why many people do not connect the two.
In many cases it eases after a few months, as the body recovers, and the hair gradually recovers over several months. If the hair loss continues after six months, an assessment is worthwhile.
In many cases yes, because the follicle is not damaged. Recovery is slow and depends on the body recovering and on correcting what is lacking. If it does not recover, it is worth assessing other causes.
Depending on the case: oral therapy to replenish what is lacking, hair NCTF, hair PRP and hair exosomes. The doctor sets the plan after the assessment.
Often, yes. The doctor may request iron, vitamin D, zinc, vitamin B12 and thyroid tests, because deficiencies and thyroid changes are common causes of hair loss.
When the hair loss lasts more than a few weeks, leaves the hair visibly thinner or comes with tiredness that does not go away. Hair loss in patches or a painful scalp should be seen without delay.
As a rule, the assessment comes first. The doctor decides what is appropriate taking into account your recovery and the medication you take, so always say what you have had and what you take.
They can help when a deficiency is confirmed, but taken without criteria they do not solve anything and can do harm. The best approach is to have blood tests and speak to the doctor.
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The assistant does not give diagnoses or replace a consultation. The plan and cost of any treatment are set at the medical assessment.