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Overview. Rather unknown to the general public (apart from those who have problems with it), the thyroid gland secretes hormones the role of which is vital for the body as a whole, including, as we will see here, for the hair. |
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When they are in sub-production or overproduction, those hormones can unsettle the hair cycles and lead to a diffuse and major hair loss. It is a frequent symptom in both cases. Why? How? What measures should be taken? |
Contents
1.
Introduction to the thyroid
2.
Global action and impact on healthy hair
3.
Symptoms of thyroid troubles on your hair
4. Measures to take for your hair
1• Introduction to the thyroid
Located at the front basis of the neck, the thyroid glad weighs 20 to 30 g. It is made of two lobes, connected by an isthmus, which makes it look like a butterfly. Neither lobe should normally exceed the size of the thumb’s second phalange. A normal production of thyroid hormones is called euthyroidia; an insufficient production, hypothyroidia, and an excessive production, hyperthyroidia. |
Thyroid troubles are five times more frequent in women than in men. Hypothyroidia (Hashimoto's disease) mainly affects women who are more than 50 years old, whereas hyperthyroidia (Basdow's disease, in most cases) mainly affects women between the ages of 40 and 50.
The condition is detected via a blood test: |
Hyperthyroidia |
TSH too high |
T4 too low |
T3 too low |
Hyperthyroïdie |
TSH too low |
T4 too high |
T3 too high |
2• Global action and impact on healthy hair
The thyroid gland's mission is to maintain all of the body's systems in action, and regulate them. It is our body's central thermostat.
| GLOBAL ACTION ON THE BODY | IMPACT ON HEALTHY HAIR |
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3• Symptoms of thyroid troubles on your hair
The symptoms linked to thyroid problems can vary from one individual to another, and does not necessarily show on the hair. That being said, many patients do notice a change in their hair. Below are listed the most frequent symptoms we find in those who consult us.
HYPOTHYROIDIA:
Hair cycle |
Chronic and diffuse hair loss: the proportion of telogen hair increases, and the telogen phase lasts longer, which makes the anagen phase occur later (see |
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Keratin |
The hair's keratin becomes more fragile: it becomes less crumbly, less regular, less pigmented. The hair loses in tonus, it is like 'muddled’, harder to comb and to untangle. |
Appearance |
The hair is > dull and rougher, and often dryer. It takes a wool-like appearance. It can also whiten more easily. |
HYPERTHYROIDIA:
Hair cycle |
Diffuse hair loss also possible, by increase of the hair production. Here, the three phases of the |
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Keratin |
Exhausted by too fast a pace, the hair follicles produce increasingly weak hair and roots. As a result, the keratin thins out and the hair easily > breaks. |
Appearance |
The hair is often > greasier, thinner and lacks of vitality. It can have an excessively silky appearance. |
4• Measures to take for the hair
1 - Regulation of thyroid secretions
For as long as your medical treatment is not properly sorted (Levothyroxine, Levothyrox®, Euthyral, L-Thyroxine, Synthroid, Levothroid Levoxyl, Unithroid... for hypothyroidians, Basdene, Neo-Mercazole, Propylithiouracile, Propylthiouracil, Tapazole, Methimazole… for hyperthyroidians), your hair follicles can directly pay the price for it, because they are the system's cells that renew themselves the most rapidly. A hair's state is even sometimes used as an indicator to determine whether the treatment’s dosage is right.
Overdosage: Beware, those treatments can cause hair loss, by hyperthyroida for Levothyroxine, or hypothyroida for Methimazole.
Our advice: never neglect blood analysis, which you should have regularly. They enable your doctor to check whether the dosage is adequate, or whether it needs to be readjusted.
Another tip: patience is required because the hair reacts somewhat like a time bombs: when it is dead ( telogen phase), it stays on the head another 2 to 4 months, before effectively falling. In other words, if your thyroid dosage has not been balanced for long, your hair can continue to fall for a few weeks, without you having to worry about it.
2 - Additional hair treatment
In parallel to your medical treatment, we can help you favour faster and stronger regrowing hair, and give your head of hair the vitality it needs. But we must first carry out an 
in-depth hair diagnosis of your roots and keratin. The analysis will enable us to suggest a local and/or oral treatment, depending on your hair's current needs (100%natural essential oil and regrowth based treatment).
Worth noting: an effective hair treatment will proportionally decrease the stress you may feel regarding your hair, which can only be positive for it. Indeed, according to our experience, the stress caused by the hair's deterioration is a common aggravating factor for people who suffer from thyroid disorder: it can strongly contribute to the deterioration itself.
Hair screening. When we face an unexplained diffuse hair loss, and after having evaluated the keratin, we sometimes suggest to the person consulting us to have a blood analysis prescribed, in order to test the levels of TSH, T3 and T4. The results often confirm the hypothesis we had formulated from seeing a keratin that is visibly weakened by a thyroid problem.
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Macro images : On the left, a healthy keratin – On the right, a ‘hyperthyroidian’ scarred keratin |
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
- Thinner and Fewer Regrowing Hair (with sketches). What To Do
- Drug-Associated Alopecia (Hair Loss)
- 'Telogen Effluvium' Hair Loss 
Men Women
- Greasy Hair and Sebum Men Women
- Dandruff and Itchiness Men Women
- Dry Hair
- Breaking Hair and Split Ends
- Daily Hair Loss: What Is the Norm?
- Most Visited Info Files
FOR TREATMENT:
Hair Growth and Regrowth: Where Precisely to Act?
CLAUDERER Anti-Hair Loss Treatments
Vitamins by Oral Intake and Hair Loss
Exercise of the Hair: Three Massages to Stimulate Regrowing Hair
Clauderer In-Depth Hair Diagnosis
Treat your Hair to the French Touch! |
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