{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T17:08:44Z","timestamp":1785431324559,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,28]],"date-time":"2026-05-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1779926400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Vice Deanship of Scientific Research Chairs, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia"},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/02f81g417","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Research Chair of Epidemiology and Public Health"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Viruses"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination have both been linked to post-acute alopecia, yet prevalence, patterns, and correlates remain poorly defined. We aimed to determine the prevalence and patterns of alopecia after SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination, and to identify independent correlates among Saudi adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 1261 Saudi adults (\u226518 years) was conducted nationwide between March and July 2025 using a structured, self-administered, bilingual (Arabic\/English) online questionnaire distributed via social media. Eligible participants had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. Data captured demographics, vaccination type and dose history, prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, self-reported alopecia subtype guided by plain-language definitions, comorbidities, and nutritional status. Hair loss and subtypes were entirely self-reported and not clinically or dermoscopically confirmed. Chi-square tests assessed univariate associations, and multivariable logistic regression identified independent predictors of any self-reported hair loss. Results: Mean age was 28.0 \u00b1 9.6 years; 62.1% were female, 97.7% vaccinated (76.0% Pfizer-BioNTech first dose, 58.1% three doses), and 53.6% reported prior COVID-19 infection. Overall self-reported hair loss prevalence was 62.4%, with hair loss reported by 57.5% of vaccinated and 49.7% of COVID-positive participants. Self-reported telogen effluvium was the predominant pattern (56.3%), followed by androgenetic alopecia (39.3%) and alopecia areata (2.7%). Independent correlates were female sex (aOR 4.89; 95% CI 3.78\u20136.32), vitamin\/mineral deficiency (aOR 2.31; 1.73\u20133.09), iron deficiency anemia (aOR 1.89; 1.29\u20132.78), prior SARS-CoV-2 infection (aOR 1.31; 1.02\u20131.68), and COVID-19 vaccination (aOR 7.45; 2.51\u201322.12). Conclusions: Self-reported hair loss was reported by nearly two-thirds of Saudi adults after COVID-19 vaccination or infection. Female sex and correctable nutritional deficiencies are the strongest modifiable correlates and warrant targeted screening and counseling.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/v18060613","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,28]],"date-time":"2026-05-28T08:00:36Z","timestamp":1779955236000},"page":"613","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19 Vaccination Associated with Post-Acute Alopecia: Prevalence, Clinical Patterns, and Determinants Among Saudi Adults"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4525-1191","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mohammad A.","family":"Jareebi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Family and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Radwan A.","family":"Abutaleb","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology, Jazan General Hospital, Jazan 4514, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Norah M.","family":"Qassadi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan 82817, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-8403-1839","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Atheer A.","family":"Akoor","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ministry of Health, Jazan Health Cluster, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-1900-238X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Osama A.","family":"Mobarki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan 82817, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-7362-143X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shaden S.","family":"Alenezi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Ha\u2019il University, Ha\u2019il 55476, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jana M.","family":"Alsyrwan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-1298-1830","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ahlam H.","family":"Hakami","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan 82817, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rayim A.","family":"Oraybi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan 82817, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Taif Y.","family":"Solan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan 82817, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shatha A.","family":"Darbashi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ministry of Health, Jazan Health Cluster, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-4649-5714","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Abdulmohsen J.","family":"Almutairi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ministry of Health, Qassim Health Cluster, Unaizah 52367, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-7499-8256","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Saud J.","family":"Almutairi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Medicine, Shaqra University, Riyadh 11961, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6552-6260","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Farjah H.","family":"Algahtani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, Oncology Center, Chair of Epidemiology and Public Health Research, Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University\/King Saud Medical City, Riyadh 12373, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ghazi I.","family":"Al Jowf","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University Medical Clinics Complex, King Faisal University, Al Hofuf 37912, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Subaiea, G.M., Alkhateeb, N., Sahman, F., Alsudayri, A., Almudayni, A.M., Alrashidi, H., Alshammari, A.M., Alamri, A., Almuntashiri, S., and Hussain, A. 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