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Is Your Thyroid the Reason for Your Hair Loss?

Your thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ that rests on the midline of your neck, overlying your windpipe. It produces hormones that regulate the amount of energy you have for your daily activities. Both too much and too little thyroid hormones in your body cause disease. Both conditions also cause alopecia or hair loss. In some cases, hair loss is the initial symptom of a thyroid problem.
If you are experiencing unexplained hair loss, your doctor may request for blood tests to check the levels of your thyroid hormones. Here are questions that may help you determine if your hair loss is due to your thyroid gland.

Is your thyroid gland overactive?

Hyperthyroidism results from an excess of thyroid hormones. You may notice that your hair is oily and greasy. In addition, you may feel any of the following:
• Fatigue
• Weight loss despite an increased appetite
• Constant nervousness
• Hand tremors
• Heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute (you may feel your heart thumping in your chest)
• Excessive sweating
• Bowel movement more frequent than you are used to

Is your thyroid gland underactive?

Hypothyroidism results from a deficiency of thyroid hormones. Your hair becomes thin, dry, and brittle. You do not only lose hair on your scalp. You may also have thinning of hair on your eyebrows and other body parts. Here are other symptoms of hypothyroidism:
• Decreased energy to do your activities
• Weight gain
• Decreased sweating and inability to tolerate cold weather
• Constipation
• Depression

Do you have an enlarging neck mass?

A normal-sized thyroid does not produce a noticeable bulge on your neck. If you have an enlarging neck mass at the midline of your neck, if you experience difficulty swallowing food or drinking liquids, or if you experience hoarseness, you may have an enlarging thyroid nodule. Thyroid nodules can produce too much, too little, or normal amounts of thyroid hormones. Because they can either be cancerous or noncancerous, it is best to have your neck evaluated by an endocrinologist or an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist.

Are you taking thyroid medications?

Your doctor may prescribe you levothyroxine (Synthroid, Levoxyl, Levothroid) for your thyroid problem. Levothyroxine may aggravate your hair loss problem. If you experience excessive hair loss after taking levothyroxine, inform your doctor so that he can explain to you your options should you wish to discontinue taking the drug.
Even if hair loss is not a life-threatening symptom of thyroid disease, it may easily be the most bothersome to you. The other symptoms of thyroid disease may stop after only a few of weeks of taking medications. Your hair loss, however, may take about 3 to 6 months to reverse. Be patient. Talk to your endocrinologist about this concern so that he can allay your fears.

Meanwhile, you might want to consider hair replacement options for people experiencing alopecia related to their thyroid. You may conceal your hair loss by using toupees or getting hair extensions. You may also benefit from laser hair therapy, a painless non-surgical procedure that stimulates hair growth by increasing blood flow to your scalp.

“We constantly hear from people who suffer from this disorder”, says Legacy Hair Center CEO Ronnie Talent. Hair replacement technology can definitely help. High end hair replacement studios use the same technology used in Hollywood- we can have the client looking like a movie star- so they can still look the way they desire, as they go through the treatment for their thyroid condition.

Legacy Hair Center specializes in the best hair restoration and hair replacement options for both men and women. You don’t have to suffer from alopecia. Visit the center in Charlotte, North Carolina and be among the thousands of people that Legacy has helped reach their hair restoration goals.

Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid glands fail to produce adequate thyroid hormone. Hypothyroidism is a fairly common condition and it affects more women than men. The older you are, the more likely you might have this disease.

Thyroid hormones are very important because they play a major role on metabolism. The usual signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism are muscle cramps, fatigue, depression, weight gain, constipation, cold intolerance, dry skin, and dry hair. In hypothyroidism, the metabolic rate of the body drastically slows down , meaning every cell in our body starts to grow slow, and even rapidly or constantly growing cells start to retard in growth — including your hair.

Because the presentation of hypothyroidism can be the same as several hormonal diseases, a number of blood tests to measure the level of TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) and T4 (Free Thyroxine) in the blood. The physician can provide you with a definitive diagnosis depending on your presenting symptoms, medical history, and laboratory results.

One of the main concerns among those diagnosed with hypothyroidism is hair loss as this can severely affect your self-esteem. A thyroid problem can cause the follicles to remain in the resting phase of hair growth. This can occur for extended periods of time leading to deferred hair growth and eventually may cause you to lose hair. At times, hypothyroidism can make hair brittle, coarse, and dry. To make things worse, even some medications to fight hypothyroidism can cause hair loss.

If you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and are concerned about losing hair, discuss this with your physician on the best medications to treat your condition and minimise or control hair loss. Your physician may also provide you with a combination of drugs to lessen the severity of adverse side effects.

For hair loss, you may consider alternative treatments like herbal or natural solutions instead of adding more medications to your regimen. One natural way to control excessive hair loss is using herbal solutions like green tea, saw palmetto, or vitamin B complex.

Hashimoto’s Disease has no definite symptoms. It is an autoimmune disorder that causes the body’s antibodies to attack the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland stops producing hormones that are essential for other body systems to retain balance and work properly. As Hashimoto’s disease continues to damage the thyroid, the body begins to show symptoms of hypothyroidism, or an under active thyroid.

As the immune system attacks the thyroid it begins to inflame. When it ceases producing enough hormones the pituitary gland tries to stimulate it to produce more hormones. This causes the thyroid to enlarge even more.

Hashimoto’s Disease is a silent illness because it may be years before the true effects are obvious. It is a very slow progression that can cause much harm to the thyroid gland. The inflammation of the thyroid that is caused by the disease goes unnoticed simply because the symptoms are the same types of signs we experience simply because we age.

Some of the most common symptoms of hypothyroidism are things like achy or tender joints, fatigue, or even constipation. Since Hashimoto’s Disease usually hits about mid life, the same time as signs of aging set in, they are not taken seriously by those afflicted with this disease.

Other symptoms to watch for include an increased sensitivity to cold temperatures, elevated cholesterol levels, depression and unexplained weight gain. There are a few easily discernable symptoms. These are visible signs like a puffy face or pale, dry skin. The audible signal that there is a thyroid problem is a chronic hoarse voice. Women may also experience excessive bleeding during their monthly periods. Many people who suffer from hypothyroidism develop a muscle weakness. This is usually only in the lower muscles of the body.

The thyroid gland is at the base of the neck. In extreme cases the gland swells enough to be visible. The inflamed thyroid shows up as a goiter. This is a rare occurrence. The severity of the symptoms depend upon the extent of the hormone deficiency.

Once the thyroid sends out the distress signal and Hashimoto’s disease is discovered, it is relatively easy to treat. Thyroid hormone replacement is a treatment that is simple and effective. The solution is relatively easy; it is the diagnosis which is difficult to reach. Although the thyroid begins to send signals to the rest of the body Hashimoto’s disease is silent and has no warning signs other than those of the under active thyroid.

Want to find out more about Hashimoto’s disease symtoms, then visit www.hashimotosdiseasesymptoms.com on how to choose the best Hashimoto’s disease treatment for your needs.