Being in an intensive care unit (ICU) can come with many challenges, but one Generation Z woman has shocked internet users with the unexpected impact of her five-day stint.
On February 6, 2026, Anna Gallo was hospitalized in Japan after becoming seriously unwell and she was diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis and septic shock. As her situation was so grave, Gallo, 24, was admitted into the ICU, where she spent five days lying in her hospital bed, unable to move and struggling to recover.
Following the five days in ICU, Gallo, of the Gold Coast, Australia, was finally strong enough to move to another ward. She spent another 10 days in the hospital before being released, as Gallo told Newsweek that her recovery has been “a long process” with many difficulties.
There was one unexpected consequence of staying in ICU, however, and that was how it affected her hair.
“My hair was fully matted and dreaded,” Gallo said. “It was quite painful and challenging to brush all the knots out, and it took a good 10 hours and a big bottle of conditioner.”
As Gallo spent five days lying in the hospital bed, her hair was severely damaged. Her hair was down the entire time, so even the slightest movement would cause knots, and that was compounded by her high fever and sweating.
Of course, Gallo added that the medical team were busy trying to save her life, and the state of her hair was the “least of their worries.” It was a full team effort to get all the knots and tangles out, as Gallo required the help of her mom, dad and boyfriend to get her blonde hair looking healthy again.
Gallo shared a post on TikTok (@annagallo_33) with several photos of what her hair looked like after several days in the hospital bed. The caption layered over the photos quips that “ICU hair is no joke,” and it has left many internet users in shock.
Since the photos were shared on March 21, the TikTok post has gone viral with over 1.9 million views and more than 83,000 likes at the time of writing.
Thankfully, Gallo is recovering well after developing meningitis and told Newsweek that she is “getting better” with each day. She has also made the decision to cut her hair and opted for the shorter bob style now, too.
Gallo’s symptoms started when she was on vacation in Japan and she couldn’t stop shivering, vomiting and fainting, and subsequently noticed a rash. She was diagnosed with meningitis B after having a lumbar puncture, just as her vital organs were starting to fail.
In a TikTok post reliving that terrifying experience, Gallo explained that she had to be intubated and sedated in the ICU. Meanwhile, her family was warned that she “might never come out” of the medically induced coma.
Gallo shared the photos of her ICU hair in jest, but there was a stark warning behind it. She urged people to get their meningitis vaccinations and protect themselves from going through such a life-changing experience.
In the days since revealing the unanticipated impact of being in the ICU, Gallo has been inundated with over 570 comments on her TikTok post so far.
One comment reads: “This happened in 5 days?!?!?!”
Another TikTok user wrote: “ICU braids are a must!”
A third person replied: “I literally learned how to French braid when I first started nursing so that this never happened to my patients.”
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