Is Thyroid Disorder the Root Cause to your hair loss Problem?
Losing a few strands of hair on a daily basis is a common thing and one should not worry about it. However, if you are seeing more hair on the bathroom tiles or towel than your scalp, you must consider taking serious steps to curb the issue so that you can prevent yourself from going bald.
Hair loss has become a common issue these days and treatments are available to treat the condition. However, the real issue is finding the root cause of the condition. Anti-hair loss treatments work only on superficial level and when you stop using them, the condition returns. Therefore it is important to treat the root cause of hair fall problems to get satisfactory results with the medicine.
There could be many reasons backing the issue of hair fall you are facing. Thyroid disorders are one of the major reasons why you must be losing tresses. Thyroid gland is known for its major impact on metabolism. Hormones secreted by this gland are known to have effect on your overall health. Thus when your thyroid is not functioning properly it tends to play havoc with your system. It can affect your mood, thought process and weight etc. Along with, you may also experience some other physical symptoms as well. Hair loss due to thyroid disorder is not permanent. In fact, it can be treated with the help of medicines. Consistency is the key here.
Thyroid issues can be treated with the help of hormone replacement drugs. However, the medicine also causes hair loss as one of its side effects. Thankfully, this type of hair loss due to administration of medicine is temporary and it is more common in children than adults. Once the thyroid hormone levels get stabilized, the hair loss caused due to medicine goes away.
Symptoms of thyroid disease
This issue shows subtle symptoms which we often mistaken for signs for other health issues or simply ignore them because they are not ‘harmful’. The fact is these symptoms could be harmful in the long run if not treated on time. In addition to hair fall and thinning of hair, you must look for symptoms such as:
- Mood changes
- Anxiety, irritability, and elevated nervousness
- Insomnia or hypersomnia
- Weight gain or loss
- Abnormal menses
- Dry hair and skin
- Sensitivity to changes in temperature
- Muscle weakness and pain
- Cognitive impairment
Blood tests can reveal how normal your thyroid is and if something is bothering its normal functionality, you must visit a doctor and get the treatment started.
What is the link between thyroid issues and hair loss?
To understand how thyroid issues affect hair growth, you need to understand how hair grows.
- Hair grows at the root of the hair follicle on the scalp.
- Blood vessels present in the scalp nourish the hair bud by creating new cells which ultimately leads to hair growth.
- Hair pushes up and passes through the oil glands which keep hairs soft and shiny.
- Hair grows for some time and then it falls off and the cycle of new hair growth starts.
When production of hormones especially T3 and T4 gets affected, it affects the other processes in the body. It involves the development of hair at the root. When hair falls out and does not get replaced by a new hair, it leads to hair thinning and you may develop bald patches if you do not take proper steps to curb the hair fall.
Alopecia is one of the common hair fall-related condition seen with thyroid issues. It causes development of bald patches on the scalp and eventually, it leads to complete baldness. Other autoimmune disorders that may cause hair loss are often connected to thyroid disorders. As mentioned earlier, certain medicines used for treating thyroid issues can cause hair loss but it is temporary.
Thyroid treatment and hair loss control
Once you are diagnosed with thyroid issues, you are put on the hormone replacement therapy that works for hair loss as well. It works by keeping right amount of thyroid hormones and helps in restoring the normal functions in the body. A healthy level of hormone means good hair health. However, as mentioned above, medicines can make you lose some hair at the beginning of the treatment. But as the treatment progresses, you can notice reduced hair fall.
It is important to take the medicine as suggested by a doctor. Self-medication with the drug is strictly prohibited. Finding the right dosage is essential in order to get the best outcome with fewer side effects. Under dosage or overdosage of medicine lead to no desired results and side effects respectively. It is important to take all medicines under stringent medical surveillance to avoid unpleasant side effects.