Symptom Management: Hair Loss

Introduction 

Hey, welcome to the Thyroidcafe. I remember taking showers and pulling chunks of hair out, by the handful. At the same time in the early 2000s, I assumed my eyebrows were victims of the over-plucked style. But these were actually symptoms. I didn’t understand that this was more than vanity; it was a disease. My crown was not just falling out; it was telling me something.

Put down the tweezers 2000’s me!

The Three T’s 

If I wanted to get back to Rapunzel, the first step was optimizing my thyroid levels. TSH, T4, and T3 hormones regulate hair loss and regeneration. Having your hormone levels not only within normal range, but optimized, is the foundation to getting your hair back. Once optimized, the results can take weeks, if not months, so it’s important to be patient.

You are what you eat

In researching, I found this study regarding hair loss. What was interesting was, it excluded thyroid patients. Their reasoning was that thyroid patients have low ferritin and iron levels. Following that strand (pun intended) it’s easy to see the effects vitamins have on hair growth. The table blow lists common vitamins that can help with hair growth. While I wish I had a Pinterest perfect diet, I can only do my best and add supplements where I fall short. They have helped me so much, both with my hair and otherwise, that I bought this pill organizer. 

Vitamins: Vitamins B-7 (biotin) and B complex zinc Copper Iron vitamins C, E, A coenzyme Q10

Herbs: palmetto black cohosh dong quai False unicorn chaste berry red clover

Sugar and Spice….

There are plenty of snake oils promising recovery of hair loss. I have included the most common herbal remedies above. Though I cannot promise they work, as I haven’t tried them. Some side effects listed online, including drug interactions, are enough to scare me off. I linked some information for you to choose for yourself, simply click on the name of the herb.

And Everything Nice (Conclusion) 

Common sense still rules. Gentle kindness will prevent breakage – of most things. Pulling your hair into tight styles can damage it. Brushing wet hair can cause breakage. Heat and dye stress your hair. However, hair health comes down to what we put into it. So, before you pull your hair out over hair loss, (I’ve been waiting all week for that pun!) try looking at it as a symptom. Addressing the underlying matters of thyroid hormones and diet can help stop hair loss. If you have tried the herbal remedies, I would love to know about it in the comments below.