Up to 40% of women in North America will experience significant hair loss at some point in their lives. The causes of hair loss are numerous including stress, iron deficiency anemia, alopecia to name a few. The most common cause of hair loss is thyroid gland dysfunction. There are some other signs and symptoms that your thyroid might be out of balance. Keep reading to find out!
Five signs and symptoms your hair loss is connected to a thyroid disorder:
1. Hair that is brittle, dry, and breaking easily. Hair that is brittle, dry and breaks easily is often a sign of a sluggish thyroid. Healthy amounts of thyroid hormones have been shown to increase not only the growth of hair but also the color. Depleted levels of thyroid hormone can lead to the early release of the hair shaft and root causing an increase in hair loss as well as premature gray or white hair.
2. Feeling exhausted all the time, even after 8 hours of sleep. Chronic exhaustion and fatigue are hallmark symptoms of low thyroid function. A typical hypothyroid patient will feel tired even after a good night’s rest and experience a vital lack of energy throughout the day.
3. Thinning eyebrows. Hypothyroidism or an underactive thyroid can often cause general hair loss as well as thinning of the outer third of the eyebrows.
4. Puffiness in the face or extremities. Water retention and puffiness are commonly seen in hypothyroid patients. This puffiness is due to an excessive build up of a component called Mucin, which is found in connective tissue, blood vessels and cells of the body. This build up of Mucin causes the affected areas to absorb and retain water resulting in swelling and puffiness.
5. Weight gain is unfortunately a pervasive part of low thyroid function. The thyroid is the master of our metabolism. As thyroid function decreases so does the metabolism or the ability to lose weight. Many thyroid patients become frustrated with a lack of weight loss despite all their efforts.
6. Feeling cold all the time. The typical thyroid patient will be bundled up even on a warm day. An intolerance to cold develops as the thyroid function slows. The thyroid gland is our internal thermostat and is in control of temperature regulation in our body.