hair loss....

[toxigal]

so, my thyroid quit and decided to take my hair with it when it stopped working.

i always had really thick hair and i didn't notice until the endocrinologist (only took 4 months to get an appointment) asked how long my hair had been thinning. tonight i looked at it with a mirror and it is really noticeable. mostly it looks like i have a really wide part.

i admit, i'm a little bit vain. okay, not really vain, but i have recently lost weight and i'm in the process of being in the best shape of my life and this has me really really bummed.

being tall had many advantages. a new one to add to my list...when i'm standing most people can't see the top of my head!

anywho, anyone deal with this? hopefully it will grow back when i get my thyroid medication at the right dose. i also started taking evening primrose oil as the endo said it may help. this is huge for me as i generally won't take supplements because they terrify me. guess being bald terrifies me more.

[Hospitalitygirl]

It will get better when your thyroid medicine is at the right dose.

Get a good cut that amplifies your hair and use a volumizing shampoo. Plus, you're tall.

[Bob_Head]

so, my thyroid quit and decided to take my hair with it when it stopped working.

i always had really thick hair and i didn't notice until the endocrinologist (only took 4 months to get an appointment) asked how long my hair had been thinning. tonight i looked at it with a mirror and it is really noticeable. mostly it looks like i have a really wide part.

i admit, i'm a little bit vain. okay, not really vain, but i have recently lost weight and i'm in the process of being in the best shape of my life and this has me really really bummed.

being tall had many advantages. a new one to add to my list...when i'm standing most people can't see the top of my head!

anywho, anyone deal with this? hopefully it will grow back when i get my thyroid medication at the right dose. i also started taking evening primrose oil as the endo said it may help. this is huge for me as i generally won't take supplements because they terrify me. guess being bald terrifies me more.

If you've got the head for it, shave it. Bald can be hot on women, too. Or, have fun with some outrageous wigs. Or just say screw it. People who can't get past what's going on with your hair probably aren't worth your time anyways.

[UrbanChick]

I can relate, as some years ago I had a long stretch in which my hair was shedding at an alarming rate for no apparent reason. I found myself closely eyeing the hairlines of every other woman I saw, and noticed that quite a lot of women actually have thinning hair, balding spots, "wide parts," etc. It just wasn't something I paid any attention to until I was having a problem, and most likely few if any people you come in contact with will even notice your hair issue or give any thought to what you are noticing. In the meantime, a shorter, layered cut without a defined part can help maximize your hair's appearance. Good luck; these things can be cyclical. (My own hair shedding continued on and off for months, never figured out why, but finally stopped and things went back to normal.)

[Brooke]

so, my thyroid quit and decided to take my hair with it when it stopped working.

i always had really thick hair and i didn't notice until the endocrinologist (only took 4 months to get an appointment) asked how long my hair had been thinning. tonight i looked at it with a mirror and it is really noticeable. mostly it looks like i have a really wide part.

i admit, i'm a little bit vain. okay, not really vain, but i have recently lost weight and i'm in the process of being in the best shape of my life and this has me really really bummed.

being tall had many advantages. a new one to add to my list...when i'm standing most people can't see the top of my head!

anywho, anyone deal with this? hopefully it will grow back when i get my thyroid medication at the right dose. i also started taking evening primrose oil as the endo said it may help. this is huge for me as i generally won't take supplements because they terrify me. guess being bald terrifies me more.

Thanks to the spammer, I saw this thread. Congrats on the weight loss, Toxigal. After I deliver this baby in October, I'll have to get your tips.

So anyway, I'm not an expert on this by any means but would prenatal vitamins help? I hear that they make your hair and nails grow quickly and thicker. I have definitely noticed it with my nails but my hair is already way thick (in fact, if there's a way I could give you 1/4 of it, I totally would).

[Litter Box]

Hi dear,
You should care your hair. Wash your hair regularly and use some good oils for the hair such as olive oil or coconut oil. and you should use herbal shampoo for the hair.

OK, you have three fluff posts. When does the spam start ?

[ecochuck]

Some MDs are saying that Americans have a deficiency of iodine in their diet. One article said to consume more salt for this. But they add iodine to salt. So this is like adding vitamin D to jelly beans and donuts telling people it is important to eat more donuts and jelly beans. So what does this have to do with you? Nothing just a wandering mind. Just kidding. Here is the National Library of Medicine:

Iodine: MedlinePlus Supplements It says:

The thyroid gland needs iodine to make hormones. If the thyroid doesn’t have enough iodine to do its job, feedback systems in the body cause the thyroid to work harder. This can cause an enlarged thyroid gland (goiter), which becomes evident as a swollen neck.

Other consequences of not having enough iodine (iodine deficiency) are also serious. Iodine deficiency and the resulting low levels of thyroid hormone can cause women to stop ovulating, leading to infertility. Iodine deficiency can also lead to an autoimmune disease of the thyroid and may increase the risk of getting thyroid cancer. Some researchers think that iodine deficiency might also increase the risk of other cancers such as prostate, breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancer.

Now instead of a supplement I buy nori and eat it as a snack. It is the seaweed that is used in sushi. The Japanese eat a lot of seaweed and they are the longest living people in the Milky Way galaxy. Also Whole Foods has a little bottle of granulated kelp. Kelp is a seaweed and you sprinkle it on foods. I have been doing this for over a decade. Seaweeds have lots of iodine and other trace minerals that are not in the soil that are foods are grown on.

In fact Patricia Bragg has a line of foods. One has 20 organic spices. Now she has that but also with kelp as the first ingredient. Not eating seaweed is good for the doctor's income.

[longtimephilly]

Dude, go play in traffic.

Too much iodine can lead to hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroiditis. Let the doctor handle her scripts.

[ecochuck]

Dude, go play in traffic.

Too much iodine can lead to hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroiditis. Let the doctor handle her scripts.

If you read the post (or comprehended what you read) you would see that I did not suggest that she take iodine!! I said that she should eat seaweed. No one has ever got a problem from eating seaweed-- a food.

[Sycamore]

Toxi,

I have PCOS, which can cause thinning hair. My hairdresser, who is the owner of a Redken salon, a friend, and who I've seen for 20 years (I'm saying, I trust him), recommended Redken's new IntraForce system. I think that the first treatment is done at the salon, and then it's just shampoo, conditioner, etc. Redken Intra Force I'm considering it.

Since you have thyroid/endocrine issues, are a woman, and live in the city, I MUST recommend my doctor, Katherine Sherif. She's the most amazing doctor I've ever had the pleasure of seeing, and thinks outside the box when it comes to often complicated women's health issues. She lives in E. Mt. Airy, I'm pretty sure.

Katherine Sherif, M.D. | Women's Health | Drexel University College of Medicine

I still see her even though I have to drive in from Chester County.

ETA: Oh look, here's Katherine on TV: Dr. Katherine Sherif on the Benefits of Vitamin D

[toxigal]

Toxi,

I have PCOS, which can cause thinning hair. My hairdresser, who is the owner of a Redken salon, a friend, and who I've seen for 20 years (I'm saying, I trust him), recommended Redken's new IntraForce system. I think that the first treatment is done at the salon, and then it's just shampoo, conditioner, etc. Redken Intra Force I'm considering it.

Since you have thyroid/endocrine issues, are a woman, and live in the city, I MUST recommend my doctor, Katherine Sherif. She's the most amazing doctor I've ever had the pleasure of seeing, and thinks outside the box when it comes to often complicated women's health issues. She lives in E. Mt. Airy, I'm pretty sure.

Katherine Sherif, M.D. | Women's Health | Drexel University College of Medicine

I still see her even though I have to drive in from Chester County.

ETA: Oh look, here's Katherine on TV: Dr. Katherine Sherif on the Benefits of Vitamin D

Thank you! I had an AMAZING doctor in Baltimore. She seriously saved my life (or at least saved me from a life of misery). I was sick, nobody could figure out why, and most doctors just shrugged me off as a crazy hypochondriac. She was excellent. My very first visit i broke down crying in her office and said "maybe all the other doctors are right and it is all in my head". her response was "doesn't matter if it is all in your head, you don't have to feel like **** all the time". Anywho, she treated my symptoms one at a time. I have been back to her twice since moving to Philly when i had issues that local doctors weren't willing to try to help me with.

I like my GP and will continue to see them for standard stuff, but I will definitely call Dr. Sherif and schedule a consult. Can i use your name when i call?

[Sycamore]

Yep. I'll PM you.

[Mahdoumi]

Toxigal, I was dx'd with Hashi's 19 years ago. Hair loss can either be a sign that your meds are not optimized OR a side effect of your meds. It's listed among $ynthroid's contraindications. If it's overall thinning, check your thyroid levels. According to the Foundation for Blood Research, your TSH should be 3 or lower. Hashi's patients with a high presence of antibodies feel better when their TSH numbers are at 1 or lower. More importantly, get your Free numbers checked. These are the true indications of how your meds are working. Your Free T4 should be at the upper end of the range and your Free T3 should be mid-range. The thyroid converts T4 into T3, the hormone that makes us feel well.

Here's where it gets a bit complicated: If your Free T4 is good but your Free T3 is below range or low range, you may need to increase or add some T3 to your protocol. $ynthroid, alone, may not be enough for you. There are combo meds out there: Thyrolar, Armour and Nature-throid. Not too many doctors subscribe to this. Mine does, thank God. My doctor also believes that some thyroid patients have misshapen thyroid hormone receptors, inhibiting the absorbtion of synthetic meds at the cellular level. All I know is that even though my blood tests indicated I was optimized on Thyrolar, a synthetic T4/T3 drug, I was completely disabled. The switch to Armour Thyroid, dessicated hog thyroid, saved my life. I now have to add levothyroxine - not $ynthroid - to my dose because the ratio of T4 to T3 in Armour isn't perfect for me. I feel GREAT and have a full head of hair.

There's anecdotal evidence that Evening Primrose oil in 1300mg doses daily inhibits the production of thyroid antibodies and helps regulate other hormones. The Lupus Foundation website offers EPO up as a supplement that can help reduce the number and severity of flairs. EPO has helped some people with the hair loss issue. I've been taking it for 10 years. I'm 50 years old. Ask HospitalityGirl how I look. Lol....

Dr. Birgit Rakel at Jefferson can help you with your thyroid. She's FANTASTIC!!!!!

[Pitt]

Some fantastic guidelines for the healthy hair are:

Wash your hair daily using some top quality natural hair shampoo.
Comb your hair constantly.
Moisturizing your head skin with dabber oil, or almond oil.
Eat more calcium nutrient vitamin nutrient meals.
Drink more milk products, and yogurt.
Don't use cosmetics for your hair.

Junk science

[Jayfar]

Any comment?

Yes, I see you finally got around to adding a sig with a spam link in your latter posts. Was totally waiting for that. Reported. Goodbye.

[toxigal]

Toxigal, I was dx'd with Hashi's 19 years ago. Hair loss can either be a sign that your meds are not optimized OR a side effect of your meds. It's listed among $ynthroid's contraindications. If it's overall thinning, check your thyroid levels. According to the Foundation for Blood Research, your TSH should be 3 or lower. Hashi's patients with a high presence of antibodies feel better when their TSH numbers are at 1 or lower. More importantly, get your Free numbers checked. These are the true indications of how your meds are working. Your Free T4 should be at the upper end of the range and your Free T3 should be mid-range. The thyroid converts T4 into T3, the hormone that makes us feel well.

Here's where it gets a bit complicated: If your Free T4 is good but your Free T3 is below range or low range, you may need to increase or add some T3 to your protocol. $ynthroid, alone, may not be enough for you. There are combo meds out there: Thyrolar, Armour and Nature-throid. Not too many doctors subscribe to this. Mine does, thank God. My doctor also believes that some thyroid patients have misshapen thyroid hormone receptors, inhibiting the absorbtion of synthetic meds at the cellular level. All I know is that even though my blood tests indicated I was optimized on Thyrolar, a synthetic T4/T3 drug, I was completely disabled. The switch to Armour Thyroid, dessicated hog thyroid, saved my life. I now have to add levothyroxine - not $ynthroid - to my dose because the ratio of T4 to T3 in Armour isn't perfect for me. I feel GREAT and have a full head of hair.

There's anecdotal evidence that Evening Primrose oil in 1300mg doses daily inhibits the production of thyroid antibodies and helps regulate other hormones. The Lupus Foundation website offers EPO up as a supplement that can help reduce the number and severity of flairs. EPO has helped some people with the hair loss issue. I've been taking it for 10 years. I'm 50 years old. Ask HospitalityGirl how I look. Lol....

Dr. Birgit Rakel at Jefferson can help you with your thyroid. She's FANTASTIC!!!!!

thanks! I was looking fora good endo! I have an appointment with a female hair loss specialist too.

[Aaron123]

hair loss is a big problem im all over the world, it depends on the water of bathing, if u use good water for bath then its never happen with u, but if your bathing water is not good, then this problem occurs....