Can thyroid cause hair loss? When your thyroid gland either produces too less or too much thyroid hormone, thyroid problems result.
Numerous signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid, include tiredness and weight gain. Hypothyroidism develops slowly, so many people do not experience symptoms for months or even years.
Can thyroid cause hair loss? Hyperthyroidism or an overactive thyroid is a thyroid disorder that also affects an individual’s overall health.
On your scalp and body, these conditions might lead to thinning or dry, brittle hair. Can thyroid cause hair loss? Will be discussed in this article.
1. Thyroid Gland
The thyroid is an endocrine gland with a butterfly shape situated in the lower front of your neck. The function of your thyroid is to produce thyroid hormones, which are released into your circulation and transported to all bodily tissues.
2. Types of Thyroid Disorders and Symptoms
2.1. Hyperthyroidism
Graves’ disease, which includes a variety of symptoms such as sweating, arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), weight loss, bulging eyes, and jitteriness, might result from it.
2.2. Hypothyroidism
Fatigue, weight gain, sadness, irregular bone formation, and stunted growth are all signs of hypothyroidism. Can thyroid cause hair loss? A thyroid gland that is not functioning properly causes hypothyroidism.
The development of antibodies that target the thyroid gland is the most frequent cause of autoimmune disease.
Can thyroid cause hair loss? Sometimes the sole or initial sign of hypothyroidism is hair loss.
2.3. Thyroid Cancer
The four primary subtypes of thyroid cancer are Papillary thyroid, follicular thyroid, anaplastic thyroid, and medullary thyroid cancer. The majority of thyroid cancer cases may be cured.
3. Life Cycle of Hair
It is crucial to comprehend the three stages of the hair life cycle to distinguish between natural hair loss and that caused by thyroid disease. These consist of the following:
3.1. Anagen Phase:
Your hair is actively developing since it is in the growth phase. The kind of hair and the location determine the length of time and growth rate. Can thyroid cause hair loss?
3.2. Catagen Phase:
When the hair reaches this “transition phase,” it stops growing actively. During this procedure, which lasts around three weeks, less than 1% of the hairs on your head are impacted at a time.
3.3. Telogen Phase
A hair gets ready to shed at this final stage before being forced out of the hair follicle and falling off. Between 50 and 150 telogen hairs are typically lost each day. The cycle then starts over with fresh hair growth to replace these.
4. Can Thyroid Cause Hair Loss
If a thyroid issue is severe and untreated, hair loss may result. Everyday hair loss is followed by hair growth. However, erratic T3 and T4 activity can disrupt the renewal cycle, which may lead to gradual hair loss without replacement over time. This may also impact your eyelashes, body hair, and eyebrows.
It could come out in strands or bunches. When there is an imbalance of thyroid hormone, telogen effluvium condition can occur.
In telogen effluvium, a scalp condition, the hair roots prematurely enter the resting phase of the hair cycle.
Another illness that is made more likely by having autoimmune thyroid disease is alopecia areata, which causes excessive and rapid hair loss in certain areas of the scalp and can eventually result in baldness and affect other parts of the body, such as the eyebrows.
However, most thyroid-related hair loss episodes are transient and curable.
Although the illness affects hair follicles, it does not kill them. Thus, there are no scars, and hair will eventually come back. It can affect kids, teenagers, and adults, and genetics can influence who gets it. Even though alopecia areata often gets better on its own, there are some therapy choices and coping mechanisms for times when hair loss makes people feel anxious or embarrassed.
5. Ways to Reverse Thyroid Hair Loss
5.1. Addressing the Root Problem
Working closely with your doctor to treat your thyroid issue is the most crucial step in halting and reversing the damage to your hair. The physician will either suggest medications to treat the thyroid gland.
The doctor could also advise you to check your thyroid profile routinely. Within a few months, when the thyroid levels are back to normal, you should notice your hair growing normally again.
5.2. Check Your Nutrient Status
Thyroid function issues typically make it difficult to consume and absorb iron and other nutrients. To encourage healthy hair development, micronutrients, including zinc, selenium, biotin, lysine, and vitamin B12, are frequently important. As a result, it is critical to replace these vital nutrients in the body.
To check for these deficits, your doctor will order the required tests, like blood tests. You may then take the proper nutritional supplements, which can hasten hair regeneration, based on the results of these tests.
5.3. Healthy Lifestyle
Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight raise one’s self-esteem and acceptance of their situation and improve blood flow to different body parts, including the scalp. This, in turn, encourages the development of strong hair.
5.4. Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Stop eating inflammatory foods such as processed, fried, and sweets. Turmeric and ginger are two anti-inflammatory nutrients that might improve your endocrine system’s performance. The endocrine system, which includes your thyroid gland, can be strengthened to reduce thyroid symptoms.
5.5. Skip Goitrogenic Foods
Goitrogens inhibit thyroid hormone synthesis and prevent the thyroid gland from absorbing iodine. To manage your hair loss difficulties and combat thyroid symptoms, follow your doctor’s recommendations for a diet plan that includes foods like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, radish, etc.
5.6. Limit Your Iodine Intake
Remember that too much iodine can lead to an imbalance and exacerbate thyroid symptoms, including hair loss, even though it can increase metabolism and prevent enlargement of the thyroid glands.
5.7. Balance Your Blood Sugar
Our blood sugar fluctuates drastically as a result of our sedentary lives and frequent ingestion of comfort foods high in carbs. A significant contributing cause to hair loss, as well as other problems, including obesity and mood swings, is irregular sugar levels with thyroid disturbance. To control your blood sugar and hair loss, increase your protein intake and reduce excess carbs.
Suggested reading: 17 Most Effective Ways to Stop Hair Fall Due to Thyroid
6. Final Note
Early treatment of thyroid disorders is crucial for avoiding significant health issues. Early detection of hair loss can prevent further hair thinning and perhaps assist in repairing any damage caused by hair loss.
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