Data Reveals, 'Long Haulers' of COVID-19 Can Have Skin Symptoms for Months

With COVID-19 taking its time, people became fully aware of the symptoms and tried to watch them now and then make sure they are not infected with the coronavirus. There are even sets of symptoms depending on the severity of the infection an individual could get.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the most common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, dry cough, and fatigue. The organization added that other symptoms might include loss of taste or smell, nasal congestion, headache, and conjunctivitis. According to very well health research presented in the 29th European Academy of Dermatology and venerology (EADV) Congress, COVID-19 long-haulers may also experience skin symptoms, some of which can last several months.

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skin conditions can appear too long haulers of COVID-19

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In an interview with very well health Esther Freeman, MD, Ph.D., the director of Global Health Dermatology at Massachusetts General Hospital and the principal investigator of the International COVID-19 Dermatology Registry, said that there are many different types of skin manifestations of COVID-19 which, according to her is interesting. She added that it is hard to think of another virus that can cause plenty of different types of skin diseases.

According to UC Davis Health, long haulers, in theory, are considered recovered from the worst impacts of COVID-19 and already tested negative for the disease. However, they still experience the symptoms of the disease. very well health added that the data entered into a global registry of nearly 1,000 patients across 39 countries showed that COVID-19 long hauler patients persist in experiencing skin-related symptoms long after their initial infection has cleared. Skin symptoms include hives, papulosquamous eruptions, and COVID toes, identified by discoloration or painful bumps on the toes. Very Well Health added that the data analyzed by the International League of Dermatological Societies and the American Academy of Dermatology shows that patients may experience skin symptoms 12 days as average but can also last up until 150 days.

Why does this happen?

During the interview, Dr. Freeman said that there are several types of skin rashes and skin manifestations that appear to be caused by inflammation; however, there are also several that are not. Very Well Health further said that symptoms that are linked to inflammations such as COVID toes are connected to milder cases of the disease. Dr. Freeman added that only 16% of patients in the registry with skin symptoms are hospitalized. She also stressed that some other dermatologic conditions travel with much more severe COVID-19.

Why do skin conditions manifest longer?

According to Very Well Health, Dr. Freeman's research shows that different symptoms lasted innumerable amounts of time. Rash-like morbilliform lasted an average of seven days, and hives lasted an average of four days in COVID-19 patients. In the interview, Dr. Freeman said that recovering from coronavirus is not clear-cut, just like long haulers have shown. She added that someone with symptoms for eight weeks without contracting the virus might no longer in the acute phase of the infection, but that doesn't mean that they are back to normal. She emphasized that in the case of COVID toes, persistent inflammation is leading her to the suspicion that COVID-19 has stimulated some other process in the body that is continuing.

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