# thyroid hair loss in women



## misha28 (May 10, 2011)

Hi,

I was wondering if hair loss that is due to hypothyroidism looks different than hair loss from other causes? Or that maybe there are hints that point to it as a cause because hair loss from hypothyroidism having a tendency to look a certain way?

I've had continuous hair loss for about four years now. Luckily I started with a very, very full head of hair. But right from the beginning the hair loss (or hair thinning more accurately) has been coupled with very dry, brittle, and dull hair. This change in the quality of my hair happened almost overnight, and was dramatic. Would hair loss from genetics cause this too? I feel like a lot of men with hair loss have healthier, shinier looking hair than me, even if they have less hair. Also, though I've always had dandruff my dandruff got distinctly worse at the same time.

Lastly, if hypothyroidism is successfully treated do most people get at least some of the hair loss back? I'm guessing it's too much to expect all of it to come back? I've love to hear peoples experiences of how proper thyroid treatment effected their hair loss.

Thanks!


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

I experienced hair loss with hypothyroidism, as well as change of texture with Graves. During the hypo time, my hair fell out in clumps, was dry, brittle and very dull looking. My scalp & skin were extremely dry during this time too.

Now that I am regluated my hair is normal again.


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

I lost about half my hair when my Hashi's was running rampant and unchecked. It also got very brittle and dull and my scalp would itch like crazy (although I didn't have dandruff). Once I got my levels back towards normal, it started growing back in (although not all of it did). I also took biotin supplements to help it get healthier, too.


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## nvsmom (Sep 30, 2012)

Mine is very thin now too. My pony tails have a circumference that is less than a dime's. It stay's thin but on occassion it will start falling out at a scary rate, usually when my symptoms are at it's worst.

Many AI's cause the same hair thinning. I know when I went gluten-free to treat my celiacs, I got a bunch of new growth; I have small bunches of 2 inch long hair growing in... very attractive. LOL For many AI diseases, once they are under control, skin and hair improves greatly.... I can hardly wait!


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

Let's not forget that as we age the hair production slows down.


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## Texaschick (May 26, 2012)

I always had a really thick hair...used to joke I could be the "hair club for men factory"...what I first noticed was dry brittle breaking hair - would swap out conditioners/shampoo...then the bare spots all over, others thought hair looked normal but I could see the spots...what was reallllllllllllly frightening for me was half my eyebrows disappeared...seriously - poof...mine went from the inner area to almost the arch - was diagnosed with hashis/hypo...I remember asking my sister/friends....ummmm did you not notice my eyebrows??? and they all said "I thought you got a reallllllly bad wax job and didn't want to say any thing".....lol...When I started on Synthroid it got better...had TT on August 21 - my eyebrows are now full again and so is my hair! hang in there! God bless!


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Texaschick said:


> I remember asking my sister/friends....ummmm did you not notice my eyebrows??? and they all said "I thought you got a reallllllly bad wax job and didn't want to say any thing".....lol...


Oh, bless their hearts! Funny, in a sad sort of way. :hugs:

Honestly, I don't think many people know the thyroid - eyebrow connection, so I can totally see why friends and sisters wouldn't want to comment. They likely had NO idea it was a medical condition.

I'm glad they're back to normal now.


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## mouthy83 (Jul 18, 2012)

I suffered with hair loss for at least a decade before i was diagnosed with hashis. I would wake up with clumps on my pillow, it was on the floors, sofas in the kitchen even in the food id make! I would take a shower and have to unblock the plug 5-6 times because it would flood. I also lost my eyebrows AND my eyelashes. The eyelashes were the worst for me, i used to have really long thick black lashes, all my friends envied them.When they started falling out i didnt look like me anymore. I even lost hair 'elsewhere'.

When i stated levothyroxine it took a few months but my hair did stop falling out. I was able to brush it without the clumps falling out. My hair looks much healthier now, my eyebrows and lashes did grow back although not back to what they were but so much better. After my hair stopped falling out i did suffer with really bad itchy scalp and i had tiny bumps everywhere, i would scratch till i bled sometimes but that also went away.

I still get periods in which my head hair starts to fall out alot and its always when my other symptoms start up, it just gives me an indication that my meds need reviewing. So hang in there, u will see an improvement soon im sure


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## mouthy83 (Jul 18, 2012)

Oh and i must add that alot of the females in my family suffer with alopecia so the doctor put it down to stress induced alopecia and when i had my daughter a few years after I was told it was hormonal changes, which made perfect sence so i didnt feel the need to chase it any further. I wore baseball caps untill i was about 24 lol.


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## Serendipity (Jul 5, 2011)

My hair was falling out by the handful before I was diagnosed with Hashi's. It was also dry and brittle as well. It got better as I started medication, then my levels jumped back up and my hair was one of the first indicators something wasn't right. At this point my TSH is much better, but my hair is still falling out pretty badly so I am not sure if that is a side effect of the Levothyroxine or if while my TSH is low the antibodies attacking my thyroid are causing me to still have some symptoms.


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## sjmjuly (Mar 23, 2012)

I guess I am lucky, (so far anyway,,,,) I have always had a TON of hair and still do. I shed, but I only lose a strand here and there. I even saw a doctor when I first started having hashi symptoms that literally pulled on my hair to see if it was falling out! Since it wasn't, he wouldn't do any other test but TSH and sent me on my way. That was the end of him.


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