Summary
- Both underactive (hypothyroidism) and overactive (hyperthyroidism) thyroid conditions can cause hair loss by disrupting the natural hair growth cycle.
- Hypothyroidism typically leads to slow growth, dry, brittle hair, and diffuse thinning, sometimes including eyebrow loss.
- Hyperthyroidism often results in fine, silky hair with excessive shedding and can sometimes trigger patchy hair loss.
- Treating thyroid-related hair loss requires two main steps: first, stabilizing thyroid hormone levels with medication, and then supporting hair regrowth with topical treatments (like Minoxidil), advanced therapies (PRP, LLLT), and lifestyle adjustments.
- Patience is crucial, as hair regrowth can take 6-12 months after thyroid levels are balanced, and an initial temporary increase in shedding might occur when starting medication.
- Always consult an endocrinologist for thyroid management and a dermatologist if hair loss persists, and avoid self-diagnosing.
Waking up to more hair on your pillow than usual can be a jarring experience. Maybe your ponytail feels thinner, or your brush seems to be collecting more strands each day. While hair shedding is a natural part of life, when it becomes excessive, it’s understandable to feel concerned. And if you’ve ever wondered if your thyroid could be playing a role, you’re onto something important.
The thyroid, a small, butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of your neck, might be tiny, but its impact on your body is anything but. It produces hormones that regulate countless bodily functions, from metabolism and energy levels to, yes, even hair growth. When this delicate balance is thrown off, either by an underactive or overactive thyroid, one of the noticeable side effects can be hair loss.
In this blog, we're going to talk about the fascinating connection between your thyroid and your hair.
Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can wreak havoc on your hair, but they do it in different ways. The common thread is the disruption of those crucial thyroid hormone levels, specifically T3 and T4. These hormones are like the conductors of an orchestra, and when they’re out of tune, the whole performance suffers, including your hair’s growth cycle.
With hypothyroidism, where your thyroid isn't producing enough hormones, you might notice your hair growing at a snail's pace. It often feels dry and brittle, and you might experience diffuse thinning, meaning it’s thinning all over your scalp. A telltale sign for some is the loss of the outer third of their eyebrows.
On the other side, hyperthyroidism, characterized by an overactive thyroid pumping out too many hormones, can lead to hair that’s fine and silky but sheds excessively. In some cases, it can even cause patchy hair loss.
The good news is that once you address the underlying thyroid issue and get those hormone levels balanced, your hair has a real chance at recovery. However, it's a journey that requires patience. Hair regrowth can take several months after your thyroid levels stabilize, so medical supervision and a consistent approach are absolutely key.
How Thyroid Disorders Cause Hair Loss?
To understand why thyroid disorders lead to hair loss, let’s quickly look at how hair grows. Hair follicles go through a continuous cycle of growth (anagen phase), transition (catagen phase), and rest (telogen phase), followed by shedding and new growth. Your thyroid hormones play a vital role in regulating this cycle. When they’re out of whack, the cycle gets disrupted, leading to increased shedding and reduced new growth.
Hypothyroidism & Hair Loss
Imagine your body’s processes slowing down. That’s essentially what happens with an underactive thyroid. Your metabolism drops, and this sluggishness extends to your hair follicles.
Symptoms:
When your thyroid is underperforming, your hair can show it:
- Slow hair growth, coarse/dry hair, brittle strands: Your hair might feel rough to the touch, be difficult to style, and break easily. It just doesn't seem to grow as long or as quickly as it used to.
- Diffuse thinning (telogen effluvium): This is the most common type of hair loss seen with hypothyroidism. Instead of bald patches, you’ll notice a general thinning all over your scalp, and your ponytail might feel significantly smaller.
- Loss of the outer third of eyebrows: This is a particularly distinctive symptom for many people with hypothyroidism.
Why It Happens:
The science behind it is fairly straightforward:
- Low thyroid hormones prolong the resting (telogen) phase, leading to excessive shedding: With insufficient thyroid hormones, more of your hair follicles prematurely enter the resting phase and stay there longer. This means fewer hairs are actively growing, and eventually, a larger proportion of your hair sheds all at once.
- Reduced metabolism slows hair follicle regeneration: Since your body’s overall metabolism is down, the cells responsible for hair follicle regeneration and hair growth simply aren’t working as efficiently as they should be. It’s like a factory running at half speed.
Hyperthyroidism & Hair Loss
Now, let’s consider the opposite scenario: an overactive thyroid. Here, your body’s processes are sped up, almost in overdrive, and this can also negatively impact your hair.
Symptoms:
Hyperthyroidism can make your hair behave quite differently:
- Fine, silky hair with excessive shedding: While your hair might feel incredibly soft and fine, you’ll notice a lot more of it coming out when you brush or wash it.
- Patchy or diffuse thinning (sometimes alopecia areata): While diffuse thinning is common, in some cases, hyperthyroidism can trigger autoimmune conditions like alopecia areata, which causes distinct, round patches of hair loss.
Why It Happens:
The mechanism here is different from hypothyroidism:
- Excess thyroid hormones shorten the growth (anagen) phase, causing premature shedding: With an excess of thyroid hormones, your hair follicles are pushed through the growth phase too quickly, leading them to enter the resting and shedding phases much sooner than they should. It’s like the hair cycle is on fast-forward.
- Autoimmune links (e.g., Graves’ disease) may trigger hair loss: Hyperthyroidism is often caused by Graves’ disease, an autoimmune condition. Autoimmune diseases can sometimes trigger other autoimmune conditions, including alopecia areata, where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy hair follicles. A study suggests a link between thyroid disorders and various forms of alopecia, including telogen effluvium and alopecia areata
How to Treat Thyroid-Related Hair Loss?
The good news is that thyroid-related hair loss is often reversible. The key is a two-pronged approach: first, addressing the thyroid imbalance, and second, supporting healthy hair regrowth.
Step 1: Address the Thyroid Imbalance
This is the most crucial step. Until your thyroid hormone levels are brought back into balance, any hair treatments will likely be fighting an uphill battle.
Hypothyroidism Treatment:
Levothyroxine (Synthroid, Levoxyl) to restore hormone levels: If you have an underactive thyroid, your doctor will likely prescribe synthetic thyroid hormone, such as levothyroxine. This medication effectively replaces the hormones your body isn't producing enough of, bringing your levels back to normal.
Hyperthyroidism Treatment:
- Anti-thyroid meds (methimazole, propylthiouracil): For an overactive thyroid, medications like methimazole or propylthiouracil work by reducing the thyroid's production of hormones.
- Radioactive iodine or surgery in severe cases: In more severe or persistent cases, your doctor might recommend radioactive iodine therapy to destroy overactive thyroid cells or, in some instances, surgery to remove part or all of the thyroid gland.
Monitoring: Regular blood tests to adjust medication:
Regardless of whether you have hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, regular blood tests are essential. Your doctor will monitor your thyroid hormone levels (TSH, T3, T4) and adjust your medication dosage as needed to ensure optimal balance.
Step 2: Support Hair Regrowth
Once your thyroid levels are stable, you can focus on strategies to encourage hair regrowth and improve the health of your existing hair. This is where products and therapies designed to support hair follicles come into play.
Topical Treatments:
Minoxidil (Rogaine) – Stimulates follicles: Minoxidil is an FDA-approved topical treatment that helps stimulate hair follicles and promote regrowth. It’s available over the counter and can be a valuable addition to your hair care routine. BosleyMD offers a range of products that can support hair regrowth, which utilize Minoxidil to help reactivate dormant hair follicles.
Advanced Therapies (if needed):
For more stubborn or advanced cases of hair loss, your dermatologist might suggest additional therapies:
- PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) – Boosts follicle health: This involves drawing a small amount of your blood, processing it to concentrate the platelets (which are rich in growth factors), and then injecting it into your scalp. These growth factors can stimulate hair follicles and promote hair growth.
- Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) – Improves scalp circulation: LLLT devices, available in various forms from combs to caps, use red light to stimulate blood flow to the scalp and energize hair follicles.
Step 3: Lifestyle & Supportive Care
Beyond medical treatments, certain lifestyle adjustments and supportive care can significantly contribute to healthier hair.
Diet & Supplements:
- Iron, zinc, selenium, biotin (check with doctor—biotin can skew thyroid tests): Deficiencies in certain nutrients can contribute to hair loss. Ensuring adequate intake of iron, zinc, and selenium is important for hair health. However, a word of caution about biotin: while often lauded for hair health, very high doses of biotin supplements can interfere with thyroid function tests, leading to inaccurate results. Always discuss any supplements with your doctor before starting them, especially if you’re being treated for a thyroid condition.
- Protein-rich diet for hair strength: Hair is primarily made of protein, so ensuring you consume enough protein through lean meats, fish, eggs, and legumes is crucial for strong, healthy strands.
Gentle Hair Care:
Avoid tight hairstyles, heat styling, and harsh chemicals: Treat your hair gently. Tight ponytails, braids, and buns can cause traction alopecia, where constant pulling damages hair follicles. Excessive heat from styling tools and harsh chemical treatments can further weaken already fragile hair. Opt for loose styles, air dry when possible, and choose gentle, sulfate-free hair products. BosleyMD’s sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners are specifically formulated to cleanse and nourish hair without stripping it.
Stress Management:
Chronic stress worsens hair loss. Yoga, meditation, or exercise can help: Stress is a well-known trigger for hair shedding. Chronic stress can push more hair follicles into the resting phase prematurely. Incorporating stress-reducing activities like yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises, or regular physical activity can make a noticeable difference in your overall well-being and hair health.
Important Considerations
Navigating hair loss can be complex, and a few additional points are worth keeping in mind.
Autoimmune Links:
Hashimoto’s (hypothyroidism) and Graves’ disease (hyperthyroidism) may worsen hair loss: Both Hashimoto's thyroiditis (the most common cause of hypothyroidism) and Graves’ disease (the most common cause of hyperthyroidism) are autoimmune conditions. This means your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body. The presence of one autoimmune condition can sometimes increase the likelihood of developing others, and this interplay can sometimes exacerbate hair loss.
Temporary Shedding:
Some thyroid meds cause initial hair loss before improvement: It might seem counterintuitive, but sometimes when you start thyroid medication or your dosage is adjusted, you might experience an initial increase in hair shedding. This is usually temporary as your body adjusts to the new hormone levels and is a sign that the medication is working to reset your hair growth cycle. Patience is important during this phase.
Patience is Key:
Hair regrowth can take 6–12 months after thyroid levels stabilize: This is perhaps one of the most important takeaways. Hair growth is a slow process. Even after your thyroid hormone levels are perfectly balanced, it takes time for your hair follicles to recover and for new hair to grow. You'll need to be consistent with your treatment plan and patient with the process.
See a Specialist:
- Endocrinologist for thyroid management: If you suspect you have a thyroid condition, your first stop should be an endocrinologist. They are specialists in hormone disorders and can accurately diagnose and manage your thyroid condition.
- Dermatologist if hair loss persists: If your hair loss continues even after your thyroid levels are stable, or if you have other types of hair loss, a dermatologist specializing in hair and scalp conditions can help. They can rule out other causes of hair loss and recommend further targeted treatments.
Final Verdict
Finding extra hair on your brush can be unsettling, but when it’s linked to your thyroid, remember there’s a clear path forward. Thyroid-related hair loss is treatable, but it demands a two-pronged approach. First, it’s absolutely essential to correct those thyroid hormone levels with proper medication and ongoing monitoring. Second, you’ll want to actively support hair regrowth with targeted treatments and positive lifestyle changes.
It’s crucial not to self-diagnose. If you're experiencing symptoms of hair loss along with other signs of a thyroid imbalance (like fatigue, weight changes, or changes in heart rate), make an appointment with your doctor.
But by working closely with your healthcare providers and adopting a comprehensive approach, you can absolutely encourage your hair to bounce back, allowing you to regain not just your hair, but your confidence too.
