Download Thyroid Disease and Hair Loss

Thyroid Disease
and
Hair Loss
Types of Hair Loss
 Generalized shedding
 More hair in drains, on brush
 No specific patches of loss or baldness
 Most common in thyroid disease
 Discrete patches of loss
 Associated with fungal infection or autoimmune alopecia
 Male pattern baldness
 Men and women
 Loss concentrated of temples and top of head
 Conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone
Causes
Untreated/Undertreated
Thyroid Disease
 Hypo- or hyperthyroidism
 Thyroid gland unable to provide hormones for hair
follicle’s proper metabolism
 Loss of necessary supply of proteins and amino acids
 Loss of ability to absorb vital minerals and vitamins
 Inability to grow properly
 Redirection of energy needed for hair growth to other
parts of body
Medication Side Effect
 Levothyroxine (Synthroid)
 According to patient information, may cause generalized
hair loss
 Treatment for thyroid cancer
Treatments
 Normalize thyroid levels
 May benefit from addition of T3 (Cytomel) or T4/T3 drug (Thyrolar,
Armour) versus pure synthetic T4 (Synthroid)
 May take several months to see improvement
 Alternative supplements
 Evening primrose oil (EPO)
 Source of essential fatty acids
 Lysine supplementation (meat, fish,
eggs)
 Aromatherapy of essential oils
(thyme, cedar wood, lavendar,
rosemary)
 Hair transplantation
Treatments to Avoid
 DHT inhibitors (Propecia)
 Growth stimulators (Minoxidil)
 These medications have not been shown to be
effective in patients with thyroid imbalances
Eyebrow Loss
 More common in hypothroidism
 Primarily affects outer third of brow – may be
completely absent
Treatments
 Similar to head hair loss (thyroid meds, evening
primrose oil, supplements)
 Transplantation (micrografts, single hair)
 Permanent makeup (tattoo)
Eyelash Loss
 Hypo – or hyperthroidism
 Eyelash hair follicles have thyroid hormone receptors on
their surface
 Uncommon to be the presenting sign in thyroid disease
 Rule out other causes
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trichotillomania
DM
vitiligo
pernicious anemia
Addison’s
Treatments
 Similar to other treatments discussed
 Additional treatments
 FNS Nutrilash
 Mixture of vitamins, minerals and amino acids
 Latisse
 Bimatoprost ophthalmic solution
 Side effects: increased brown
pigmentation of iris, eyelid
skin darkening, eye
redness, itching)
 LiLash
 Prostaglandin analog
 Side effects: eyelid darkening,
eye redness, itching