Important facts about the loss of hair in people with Hashimoto’s
Question: Did you know loss of hair in people with Hashimoto’s is common? Did you know loss of hair in people with Hashimoto’s could come from expanding autoimmunity?
Hormones produced by the thyroid gland are critical for the health of hair. That’s why lots of patients with thyroiditis suffer from hair loss and thin hair. Many of them use treatment with thyroid hormones to resolve this issue. However, many other people don’t use such medications, and that’s why it is necessary to understand the nature of hair loss and ways to deal with it other than hormone medication.
Inflammation can cause problems for hair follicles
Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune condition that affects the influence of thyroid hormones on cellular receptors in the whole body, including hair follicles. During periods of high inflammation, the cytokine immune cells often prevent the thyroid hormones from influencing the cellular receptors correctly. That is why it is important not only to control the levels of thyroid hormones, but also reduce the inflammatory processes. Often hair loss cannot be stopped until the autoimmune processes are managed correctly.
Women may lose hair due to high testosterone
Surprisingly, this is the most common reason why patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis suffer from hair loss. For women, the main symptoms of high testosterone levels are hair loss and thinning hair, problems with losing weight, and sometimes even excess of facial hair. The reason for that in most women is high insulin levels which are caused by unhealthy lifestyle and diet: eating many starches, sugars and refined carbohydrates, combined with sedentary, inactive lifestyle.
In turn, insulin provokes the production of testosterone through complicated chemical reactions. In fact, it stimulates a special enzyme called 17-alpha-monooxygenase, or 17,20 lyase, in the ovaries, which catalyzes testosterone production.
Another reason for hair loss: poor scalp blood flow
Impaired blood circulation is another frequent reason of chronic hair loss in patients with Hashimoto disease. Hair follicles need steady supply of blood that are rich in nutrients. Hair loss cannot be avoided when the supply is limited due to weak circulation. Actually, this issue also causes other symptoms, like cold limbs and tip of the nose, as well as poor nail health (nails, just like hair, require good circulation with nutritious components). The most important thing is that thinning hair is not the only issue. Bad blood circulation may affect one’s brain health!
If you are suffering with low thyroid symptoms or Hashimoto’s disease and think that you could benefit from a natural approach that is physician guided, please request an appointment and new patient application through the form at the bottom of the page. Please be advised that I do my best to help everyone that is in need, however I do not accept every person that would like to become a patient. I only accept people that I believe that I can help, and that are 100% committed to doing whatever it takes to get better.
Warm regards,
Dr. Shook
