The hair on your head can be fairly called the barometer of your overall health. There are many physical conditions that can cause hair loss. Any imbalance of thyroid hormones can cause hair loss.
Whenever our body is under stress our hair are the first warriors that loose the fight and they start falling off from the head very swiftly. Abnormal hormones present in the body can be sometimes blamed for the loss of hair from the head. Thyroid hormone disturbance due to hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism can be pinned as a reason for the loss of hair.
Thyroid disease and Hair loss:
Very mild or short termed hormonal disturbances not necessarily cause the loss of hair. Different forms of hyperthyroidism are differently diagnosed. Some are diagnosed early on the onset of the disease, while some may take months and years to get finally diagnosed. The loss of hair due the thyroid hormone disbalance may take many months before the onset of the problem.
This is due to the fact that hair follows a long hair cycle. As the hair growth depends upon the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. Any disturbance in the functioning of thyroid gland hormones may result in hair changes and many other side effects. If the thyroid gland problem is left untreated then it may cause thinning of hair and your scalp could turn sparse due to excessive hair loss.
The process of hair loss due to thyroid hormones is temporary as it can be prevented by treating thyroid disease and hair loss prevention.
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Tips to identify the presence of thyroid gland disease:
There are different symptoms of thyroid gland problem. Some of the symptoms are also subtle. Hair loss is one of the common symptoms associated with thyroid gland problem, some other symptoms are:
- Mood swings
- Anxiety attacks
- Irritation
- Too much of nervousness
- Temperature intolerance or inability to bear harsh, hot and cold climates
- Weight problems (weight gain or loss)
- Too much of sleeping
- Insomnia
- Abnormal menstrual bleeding
- Dry hair and skin
- Muscle pain
- Problems in decision making
- Concentration problems, etc.
These are the few common symptoms of thyroid diseases and in case you notice any of these symptoms, then you can see your doctor and consult him as soon as possible.
Investigations for hair loss:
Although thyroid hormones cause hair loss, but you must consult your doctor to identify the main reason behind your hair loss, as many other diseases may also cause hair loss. Thyroid gland problems do not occur without any other symptom. So, the doctor may prescribe you a few tests to determine whether your body is undergoing any other problem like iron deficiency that may trigger the hair loss.
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Treating thyroid disease and hair loss:
Hair loss due to thyroid gland is not a big problem, as it is temporary. But as soon as you have diagnosed the thyroid gland hormone problem, your doctor may start your treatment. The treatment procedure may involve the hair loss, resolving problems as your hormones may come under the healthy levels.
In order to bring the thyroid gland under normal levels, it may require some time. Although new hair will sprout up, but usually the process is very slow and it may take months for the medicine to stimulate the regrowth of hair.
The patient must understand that most of the cases the regrowth may be unpredictable and the new hair on your head might be of different colour and texture. If you are facing troubles in dealing with the new look of your hair while the treatment is going on, then you can definitely go for options such as:
• Wearing a hair piece like a scarf or cap
• Wearing a wig
• Going for a new hairstyle
• Changing your hair cut
All these things can help you to take care of the camouflage that you may require while undergoing the treatment for thyroid gland disturbance. You may also ask your doctor for the suggestions and tips on how you can improve the growth of your natural hair. Sometimes the doctor may prescribe some hair growth oils and serums or any other topical medicines that can improve the growth of hair
There is no doubt that thyroid hormones cause hair loss, but there are many other body functions that are inhibited due to the thyroid problem and similarly hair loss is caused by many factors. So always check with your doctor if you suspect that the reason behind your hair fall is a thyroid gland problem.
