Hair loss is a common symptom of thyroid disease. However, losing hair does not necessarily mean that you have a thyroid problem. Medical testing is necessary to determine whether someone has thyroid disease. If you are diagnosed with a thyroid condition, there are treatment options available to help reverse hair loss and encourage new hair growth.
Causes
Hair loss in thyroid disease is most common in hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid. In hypothyroidism, your thyroid fails to produce an adequate amount of hormones, which decreases your metabolism rate. Surviving-HairLoss.com explains that this causes a loss of amino acids and proteins, two components necessary for hair growth. The over-treatment of hyperthyroidism, or overactive thyroid, can also sometimes cause hair loss.
Hormone Replacements
Prescription thyroid hormone replacements are the primary form of treatment in hypothyroidism. These drugs, such as Synthroid and Levothyroxine, contain a thyroid hormone called thyroxine, or T4. T4 production from the thyroid gland helps increase your metabolism and helps regulate body functions such as hair growth. The American Thyroid Association points out that hormone replacements will not help those who have a normal thyroid but still exhibit hypothyroid-like symptoms such as hair loss. Hormone replacement medications will only benefit patients who are diagnosed with hypothyroidism.
Herbs and Supplements
According to Surviving-HairLoss.com, certain herbs like cedar wood, lavender, primrose, rosemary and thyme can be used to help treat thyroid-related hair loss. Purchase them in the form of essential oils and massage them onto the scalp. A thyroid supplement, such as Raw Thyroid or Thyromine, contains iodine which helps increase hormone production and slow the rate of hair loss in thyroid disease.
Laser Treatments
Hair growth clinics use laser treatments to help re-grow hair. These lasers penetrate the scalp, thereby stimulating the hair follicles for growth. The process also purportedly increases cell production and does not burn your skin. Evolution Hair Centers recommends using laser treatments twice a week for nine months. Laser treatment can be used in conjunction with thyroid hormone replacements or as an alternative form of thyroid treatment.
Considerations
If you suspect that your hair loss is related to a thyroid disorder, ask your doctor to do blood tests in order to measure thyroid hormone levels. If you are already undergoing treatment, ask a physician whether hormone replacement levels need adjustments or if another form of therapy can help. Also, Surviving-HairLoss.com reports that hormone replacements can actually cause a temporary side effect of increased hair loss. Laser treatments may help stimulate hair growth, but should not be the only form of thyroid hair loss treatment, as it does not treat the source of the problem directly.
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