When you notice hair loss you often wonder what the causes may be. While genetic predisposition is an obvious reason, there are others to consider. Thyroid disease is one of the potential causes of hair loss.
What to do
1. It is important to visit your doctor if you suddenly have significant hair loss. A complete evaluation is necessary. If you are already being treated for a thyroid condition you have probably noticed some hair loss. With the proper medication the loss will decrease over a few months.
2. Take your medication as it is prescribed. No shortcuts should be taken. Hyperthyroid and hypothyroid will both cause hair loss.
Know the types of Hair loss
1. Alopecia, hair loss, can be caused by a variety of autoimmune conditions including fungus. This will be a patchy type of loss.
2. You may notice hair accumulating in your drains and hair brushes. This is the most common with thyroid disease. For some it will continue even after medication is begun.
3. The pattern of hair loss common to men is sometimes seen in women. This is caused by hormonal changes in the scalp. This can also be the result of thyroid disease.
Be Sure you are Being Adequately Treated
1. Synthroid has a common side effect. It can cause hair loss. Many doctors are not aware of this fact and you may need to discuss it with your physician.
2. Be sure you are getting adequate amounts of the thyroid hormone. This can only be checked with blood studies.
3. Consider talking to your doctor about adding additional medications specifically for thyroid disease. It can also mean a need to change the medication you are on to one of the more recent additions to the pharmaceutical treatment.
4. The newer medications such as Thyrolar can also ease some of the symptoms of depression associated with synthroid. There are instances when synthroid alone is not sufficient and other medications need to be added.
Consider other Possible Treatments
1. There have been some recent studies that some natural food supplements can assist with hair loss due to hypothyroidism.
2. Your body may need an additional multi-vitamin and also some primrose oil. Evening primrose oil is reported to decrease the conversion of dihydrotestosterone from testosterone. This is a cause of hair loss.
3. Other supplements such as Green Tea, Saw Palmetto, Arginine, B6 and zinc, among others may help in decreasing the amount of hair that the patient is losing.
Prescription Treatment
Dermatologists are the best medical professionals to consult when you are suffering from hair loss. There are a variety of treatments. Scalp injections may aid in your hopeful decrease in hair loss. Newer medications such as minoxidil and propecia have been used for non-thyroid hair loss.
Discussing your condition with others will also help with the psychological effects of significant hair loss. It is always comforting for a person to realize that they are not the only one going through the trauma of hair loss. While thyroid disease is not always the cause, it is a frequent cause of hair loss.