Can Thyroid Problems Cause Hair Loss?

Hair loss can be caused by a number of different factors, ranging from natural age progression to severe stress. One common cause of hair loss relates to issues with the thyroid. The thyroid is a small gland that sits just below your neck. Its main function is to produce hormones that regulate your metabolism. So what does this have to do with hair loss?

Two distinct thyroid disorders

There are two distinct thyroid disorders: hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid does not produce enough hormones; hyperthyroidism is the exact opposite. Each can cause hair loss if they are left untreated.

According to Healthline, thyroid issues disrupt the production of T3 and T4 hormones, which can affect bodily processes including hair growth. When the hair growth process is disturbed, strands of hair will fall out as normal, but the follicles will not be able to replace them. This will result in a noticeable thinning of hair on your scalp and other parts of your body.

One common condition associated with thyroid problems is alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder where the body attacks its own hair follicles. This can result in hair loss in patches on the scalp.

Treatment

Treating the thyroid condition will also treat hair loss and encourage hair follicles to start producing again. Your doctor may recommend medications including levothyroxine for hypothyroidism or propylthiouracil and methimazole for hyperthyroidism. It may take several months to see a noticeable change in hair growth.

Contact Trillium Ink for permanent results

Treating thyroid problems will usually solve hair loss associated with it. In several months after consulting with your doctor to get the appropriate prescription, your hair should grow back. But if you are losing hair because of genes and male pattern baldness, medicine probably won’t help. It may be time to contact the team at Trillium Ink for a consultation. We offer state of the art scalp micropigmentation services to give our clients a natural-looking hairline as well as pigment and depth to cover their whole scalp. Explore our full range of services at either our Everett or Portland locations.