Hair loss and Thyroid Disease
If you ever wondered if there is something that can predict Graves’ Disease or Hyperthyroidism, it happens that there is.
And it may sound funny- but this is a premature hair graying. I personally started to get gray hair when I was only 18. Of course there was no way to connect that with my Graves’ Disease 15 years later.
A group of scientists and researchers found that:
Premature hair graying may predict reduced bone mineral density in Graves’ disease – A study of 44 women with Graves’ disease and 133 women without it showed that premature gray hair (>50% gray by 40 years old) was associated with lower bone density (more brittle bones) in the women with Graves’ disease. (Premature gray hair had no connection with bone density in women without the disease.)(6)
Leary, A.C., Greely, G., Higgins, T.M., Buckley, N., Barry, D.G., & Ferriss, J.B. (2001). 6. Premature hair graying may predict reduced bone mineral density in Graves’ disease. Ir J Med Sci 170(2), 117-119.
So if you have premature hair graying you may also check your bone density, just in case.
Understanding Thyroid Hair Loss
Most people who are suffering from hair loss should immediately make sure that they are not suffering from thyroid hair loss. Whenever your body requires extra energy, which might be due to stress or other illness, the hair cells get shut down automatically to redirect the energy elsewhere. The common condition where hair loss can occur are poor diet and nutritional deficiencies, hormonal changes, surgery, and many medications, but noticeably, thyroid disease hair loss.
Before starting the treatment plan for your thyroid hair loss, the following key points should be taken into consideration such as evaluation by a dermatologist, to find out if there is are nutritional deficiencies, making sure that it may not be of the side effect of the thyroid drug, adherent to alternative therapies and last but not least rule out the possibility of thyroid drug side effect.
Although there are three types of hair loss such as thyroid disease hair loss, autoimmune alopecia, and male pattern hair loss, thyroid hair loss can occur both in hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. When suffering from thyroid hair loss, you’ll often find more hair in the shower, in drains and in hairbrushes with absence of specific hair less patches. Thyroid hair loss is noticeable among some people even after starting the treatment especially in Synthroid medication (medication for treating hypothyroidism).
However, I know about a lot of cases, where the underlying condition is actually hyperthyroidism and even though it is not very typical symptom, some of the patients that I know feel really helpless about this and suffer a lot.
Alternative therapy such as evening primrose oil is found to be highly useful in correcting thyroid hair loss. Aromatherapy is also found to be extremely effective. Essential oils of thyme, cedar wood oil, lavender, and rosemary mixed altogether and applied on the hair will help to stimulate hair growth. These essential oils can also tremendously help your Graves’ Disease as well.
Here is a hair mask I have used and I want to share with you:
Hair mask- to help your hair from outside, if I can say that. I generally use folk medicine, no fancy and expensive stuff, usually you can find every ingredient in your refrigerator:
1 yolk
1 table spoon olive oil
1 table spoon yogurt (regular, no fat- free, no fruits)
1/2 t spoon fresh lemon juice, (I mean fresh)
1 table spoon honey
3-4 drops rubbing alcohol, or any alcohol, the purpose is to heat up the roots of your hair and allow the ingredients to get in faster).
Apply, stay with it at least an hour and wash as usual.
You need to help your hair somehow internally and externally…I would suggest taking Vitamin A and Vitamin E, and I know a product that’s 100% natural, no preservatives, and contains also Selenium (proven to help your eye as well, if you have Thyroid Eye Disease). I’ve been using it for quite some time and my hair feels great. I am sending you the link, you can order if you want to- if not, go to any store and buy them over the counter.
https://www.foreverliving.com/marketing/Product.do?code=054
(You can use my sponsor ID: 001002401252, but not mandatory. That company has offices world wide and they’ll ship from your own country). Check their other products, they are all great.)
The thyroid hair loss can also be corrected by using Ayurveda medicines such as Bhingaraj oil or brahmi oil. Both oils should be applied to the scalp without disruption for at least 3 months for hair growth stimulation. In addition to this the ayurvedic herbs amla and ashwagandha will also help stimulating hair growth.
The final treatment for thyroid hair loss is hair transplantation if there is serious illness. Small plugs of hair are removed from the back or side of the scalp and implanted to areas of the scalp with little or no hair. The effect can be seen after several months. Tissue expansion is another procedure that helps to treat thyroid hair loss. In this type, a small empty sac is slot into the skin. The sac is filled up with saline water for a course of time. Automatically, the skin begins to rejuvenate to give bulging appearance. This new skin with hair follicles is placed over the adjacent bald patches.
I believe that once your symptoms are under control and your test are in normal range your eyes will start to improve. So besides treating the symptoms I would recommend treating the cause of Graves’ Disease as well.
To read more about how stress and hair loss are considered twin brothers, click here: