Hair Fall Due to Thyroid: Causes, Symptoms & How to Stop It
Hair fall is quite common in both men and women; in fact, we tend to shed around 50 to 100 hair strands in a day. However, for people struggling with thyroid conditions, the normal hair growth cycle is interrupted. This causes patients to lose more hair than normal, which eventually leads to thinning of hair. Thyroid conditions occur when the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough or produces too many certain hormones. This can cause the hair to become dry, brittle, and thin on the scalp and body. In this blog, let’s understand more about hair fall due to thyroid, what causes hair fall due to thyroid, and how to stop hair fall due to thyroid.
Can Thyroid Cause Hair Fall?
The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland situated in the lower front part of the neck. It produces thyroid hormones, which the body uses for energy, to stay warm, and to keep the organs and muscles working properly. The most common thyroid-related problems occur from an abnormal production of thyroid hormones. Hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid, involves insufficient amounts of thyroid hormone. Hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid occurs when the thyroid gland produces too much hormone.
The thyroid hormone plays an essential role in the development and maintenance of hair follicles. When hormone production is disrupted, specifically of hormones T3 and T4Trusted Source, it affects other processes in the body. This includes the development of hair at the root. Hair falls out and may not be replaced by new growth, resulting in thinning across the scalp and other areas, such as eyebrows.
Hair fall due to Thyroid – What are the causes?
Common causes of hair fall due to thyroid conditions include:
- Hormonal Imbalances: The production of hormones in the thyroid directly influences the hair growth cycle. In many cases, imbalances make the hair enter the resting phase early.
- Autoimmune Conditions: Disorders such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Graves’ disease cause inflammation and, hence, result in thyroid hair loss.
- Poor Scalp Circulation: Thyroid imbalance can reduce the amount of blood flow in the scalp, which affects the scalp hair follicles negatively.
- Nutritional Deficiencies: Thyroid disorders often bring with them deficiencies in iron, zinc, and biotin, which further worsen the thyroid hair loss causes.
- Stress and Fatigue: Thyroid diseases lead to hair loss due to emotional and physical stress.
Is Hairfall a Symptom of Thyroid?
Yes, hair fall is a common symptom of thyroid. We all lose some hair daily, and then it regrows. But irregular functioning of T3 and T4 hormones can cause that regrowth cycle to be disturbed, which means you may notice thinning hair over time, without regrowth. This could affect your eyebrows, body hair, and eyelashes, too. A few symptoms of hair fall due to thyroid include excessive hair loss while brushing or washing, dry and brittle hair that breaks easily, loss of eyebrow hair, and delayed hair regrowth. It is uncommon for hair loss to be the only symptom of an overactive or underactive thyroid.
Other common symptoms of hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) include:
- feeling cold
- tiredness
- dry skin and hair
- concentration or memory problem
- depression
- constipation
Other common symptoms of hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) include:
- Nervousness
- irritability
- increased sweating
- fast heartbeat
- Anxiety
- difficulty sleeping
- warm, moist skin
- muscle weakness
- tiredness
People who have underactive or overactive thyroid glands may also experience abnormalities in their menstrual patterns.
How to Stop Hair Fall Due to Thyroid
Treating hair fall due to thyroid requires treating the thyroid condition. A doctor will usually prescribe a synthetic hormone called levothyroxine to treat an underactive thyroid. Common medications for an overactive thyroid include antithyroid medications like methimazole, propylthiouracil, and beta-blockers, which work by blocking the gland’s ability to make the thyroid hormone. Your doctor will monitor your thyroid levels while you’re on medication. Once the thyroid levels are normalized, you can expect to see normal hair regrowth within a few months. In some cases, surgery may also be necessary.
Besides medication, here are other ways to stop hair fall due to thyroid:
Monitor iron and nutrient intake: H3 Abnormal thyroid function often interferes with the intake and absorption of iron and other micronutrients. Micronutrients such as zinc, selenium, biotin, lysine, and Vitamin B12 are often instrumental in promoting healthy hair growth. It is important to replenish these essential nutrients in the body.
1. Regulate stress:
High amounts of stress also cause fluctuations in the levels of a hormone called Cortisol. Cortisol is not only associated with abnormal thyroid levels, but also causes impairment of natural hair growth.
Eat a balanced diet: H3 For the body to recover fully from its disturbed metabolism, you must eat nutrient-rich and whole foods and follow a balanced diet. Stay away from junk food and processed food items, and instead include fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables, and adequate sources of protein and calcium in your daily diet
2.Maintain a healthy lifestyle:
One of the key aspects of restoring hair loss is also leading a healthy and active lifestyle. Exercising regularly and keeping fit not only increases self-confidence and acceptance of one’s condition but also boosts blood supply to various areas of the body, including the scalp. This, in turn, promotes the growth of healthy hair.
3. Practicing meditation and yoga:
Regular practice of meditation and yoga can not only bring down the thyroid levels to normal, but also decrease the stress levels in the body. This leads to an overall improvement in health and helps to restore your hair to its former glory.
Hair Fall Diet for Thyroid
People living with thyroid disorders that can lead to hair loss often require medication to manage their condition. However, their diet too can help promote growth and improve the condition of the hair. A healthy and balanced diet contains proteins, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and a moderate amount of fat.
- Foods that can increase the chances of having healthy hair include:
- Fish: Oily fish contain omega-3 fatty acids that can help prevent a dry scalp.
- Dark green vegetables: Vegetables such as spinach have high levels of vitamins A and C. These vitamins can improve the condition of hair.
- Protein-rich foods: Eating foods rich in protein can help prevent weak and brittle hair. Dairy foods, legumes, nuts, and lean meats all contain high levels of protein.
- Biotin-rich foods: Biotin deficiency may lead to brittle hair or hair loss. Sources of biotin include whole grains, liver, egg yolk, soy flour, and yeast. However, biotin can affect the results of thyroid blood tests, so anyone having a blood test should stop using or consuming products containing biotin for a few days beforehand.
- Calcium-rich foods: Calcium is key to hair growth. Good sources of calcium include dairy products, such as milk and cheese.
Conclusion
Hair loss is a common concern that affects both men and women. It can make you feel like you’re losing a part of yourself, significantly impacting your confidence and self-esteem. With the right hair loss treatment in Pune, you can restore your hair to become healthy and shiny like before and regain your confidence. At Homeocare Clinic, we are dedicated to providing our patients with the best quality and personalized treatment plans tailored to fulfil their specific requirements. Our experienced team of dermatologists offers safe, natural, and highly effective solutions to promote the regrowth of our patients’ hair. Contact us now for the best hair treatment in Pune.
