The link between your hair and your thyroid
Noticed that you’ve developed hair concerns due to a thyroid condition? Or perhaps you suspect your hair-related symptoms are because of an undiagnosed thyroid issue?
Hair issues are often the first sign of a thyroid problem lurking beneath the surface. Let’s take a closer look at the link between your hair and your thyroid.
The hair-thyroid link
There are many ways that your thyroid health can influence your hair quality and quantity.
Firstly, we have the direct link. Your thyroid hormones play an essential role in the development and maintenance of hair follicles. Both high and low thyroid hormone levels can lead to hair thinning, breaking and brittle texture.
Severe or prolonged hypo/hyperthyroidism can result in significant hair loss, as can elevated thyroid antibodies. An imbalanced thyroid hormone level can also impede the rate of new hair growth, feeding into a vicious cycle of hair-related symptoms.
Then there are indirect links, including:
Nutrient deficiencies - iron, zinc, iodine and essential fatty acids (EFAs) can all contribute to hair issues and are common in thyroid disease
Chronic stress - often a trigger for the development and flare-up of thyroid disease, stress can also cause hair loss
Impaired gut health - the resulting inflammation and low nutrient absorption of poor gut health is linked to thyroid conditions and hair concerns
Related health conditions - alopecia, PCOS and lupus are associated with thyroid conditions, and they can also contribute to hair loss
Now, do unexplained hair issues always mean the thyroid is to blame? Not at all - there are many potential factors playing a role depending on your unique circumstances. But if you are experiencing hair concerns along with other symptoms of an overactive or underactive thyroid, it’s worth investigating further.
Hair-related thyroid symptoms
Now that we know why hair is vulnerable to thyroid conditions, what sort of symptoms should you be looking out for? Some common signs include:
Thinning or loss of the eyebrows, particularly the outer third of the brow
Coarse, dull, dry, and brittle hair that breaks easily
Soft and fine hair with lots of shedding
Thinning hair or balding patches
Changes to the growth rate - you notice it’s growing slower or quicker than usual
Dry, itchy scalp and dandruff
Less hair on your legs, arms, and other body areas
What can be done about thyroid-related hair changes?
Stay tuned for future articles where we will explore hair in relation to both an overactive and underactive thyroid, along with steps to reduce hair loss.
Need to tackle the underlying thyroid issue affecting your hair?
Make sure you check out my programs specific to addressing thyroid conditions: