Thyroid Disease Hair Loss

How Thyroid Disease Affects Hair Growth

All hair falls out at some point. Each strand grows and grows for up to 7 years. But at some point, it sheds. It’s a natural part of the way hair grows — a process called the hair growth cycle. 

Many things regulate the hair growth cycle and keep your hair follicles circling through healthy stages of growth, rest, and shedding. 

But one big influence is the hormones your thyroid produces. 

The thyroid — a butterfly-shaped gland in your throat — releases hormones that help regulate things like growth, body temperature, and energy use. 

These hormones also affect the production of keratinocytes (the main cells of your hair), so they have an important role in helping your hair follicles make strong, healthy strands. 

If you have thyroid disease, your thyroid is usually underactive (called hypothyroidism) or overactive (hyperthyroidism) — either way, it throws your hormonal balance off kilter. 

Suddenly, your body has too few or too many thyroid hormones, which can disrupt your hair growth cycle. This is often the cause of thyroid disease hair loss, leading to excessive thinning and slow regrowth. 

Hair loss in thyroid disease resembles other hair loss conditions, such as female pattern hair loss and male pattern baldness. You’re more likely to experience diffuse thinning across the scalp rather than patchy bald spots. 

Of course, that can make it tricky to treat thyroid disorder hair loss, so if you’re concerned about your hair, it’s always a good idea to consult a doctor. They can assess your thyroid function and guide you toward effective treatments to help restore your hair’s health.

Looking for something else?

• Men’s hair loss treatment
• Women’s hair loss treatment

What Causes Thyroid Disorder Hair Loss?

When you look at the statistics, it’s clear there’s a link between thyroid problems and hair loss. According to a 2023 research article, around 50% of people with hyperthyroidism and 33% of people with hypothyroidism experience hair shedding. 

But just how thyroid disease causes hair loss isn’t quite so obvious. 

Researchers believe that when the thyroid is underactive, it slows down cell division in the skin and hair, disrupting the hair growth process. 

The disruption forces large numbers of hair follicles into a premature (and sometimes prolonged) shedding phase, resulting in hypothyroidism hair loss. 

With an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), the exact process of hair loss remains unclear. 

The current theory is that the thyroid, sent into overdrive, causes the body to produce more harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS), which leads to oxidative stress, follicular cell damage, and hair loss. 

If left without treatment, prolonged thyroid dysfunction can weaken your hair follicles, leading to more brittle and damaged hair and stunted regrowth. 

Although thyroid disorder hair loss is usually gradual and may take months to become noticeable, it’s often the first symptom of thyroid problems to appear.

Recognising Symptoms of Thyroid Hair Loss

According to an extensive 2023 literature review, hair shedding often appears long before other thyroid disorder symptoms (such as changes to energy, weight, appetite, and bowel movements. 

The first sign of trouble is usually a gradual, diffuse thinning across the scalp rather than localised bald spots. Other common symptoms of thyroid hair loss include brittle hair, increased hair shedding, and, in the case of hypothyroidism, hair loss on other areas of the body, including the outer third of the eyebrows. 

Fortunately, in many cases, starting thyroid hormone replacement therapy helps stop the hair loss. But if a thyroid disorder has persisted without treatment for a long period of time, it could damage the hair follicles to the point of no return.

Scalp and Skin Changes Caused by Thyroid Disease

In a 2012 study of 50 patients, Dermatologist Neerja Puri noted that thyroid disorders can cause dry, scaly, and cracked skin, or soft, moist skin, depending on the condition. 

Hyperthyroidism widens the vessels, causing increased blood flow and making your skin feel warm, smooth, soft, and moist — like a baby’s. The result may be flushed cheeks and palms.

In contrast, the changes in hormonal levels caused by hypothyroidism can affect your skin’s natural moisture balance, making your skin feel thicker, rougher, colder, drier, and pale. It may also contribute to itchiness, inflammation, and increased sensitivity on the scalp. 

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, thyroid diseases can also cause:

• Slow-healing wounds
• Increased or decreased sweating
• Rashes or darker skin (especially in the creases of your skin)
• Reddish spots that come and go
• Painless, hard, and waxy lumps on the skin

Luckily, there are ways to reduce the impact of any symptoms, starting with treating the thyroid medication to address the root of the problem. Healthy lifestyle changes and proper scalp care can also improve the health of your scalp.

Thyroid Hair Loss Treatment: What Works?

The best thyroid hair loss treatment is one that targets the root of the problem: the thyroid disorder. But the right treatment will depend on the disorder. 

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most common treatment for hypothyroidism. HRT — usually a medication called levothyroxine — is a synthetic hormone that compensates for the thyroid’s underactivity. 

Treatment for hyperthyroidism is a little trickier and usually involves reducing the production of thyroid hormones, either through antithyroid medication, radioactive iodine therapy, or surgery. 

Either way, the key to treatment lies in correcting the underlying hormonal imbalance. As thyroid hormone levels stabilise, your hair follicles can recover and resume a healthy hair growth cycle.

Sometimes, hair follicles need an extra little nudge to reactivate the hair growth phase, and some doctors may recommend additional therapies to stimulate hair growth. 

A popular secondary treatment for thyroid hair loss is minoxidil. This over-the-counter topical solution helps enlarge the blood vessels in the scalp, promoting the flow of oxygen and nutrients to hair follicles. 

Alternatively, doctors may recommend a hair supplement to support hair health or regrowth, although this is typically only recommended if you have hair loss related to a vitamin deficiency. 

If you’re seeking advice to treat a thyroid condition and hair loss, it’s best to consult a doctor before self-prescribing. A doctor can get a full assessment of your condition and prescribe a treatment plan that’s appropriate for you. 

Alongside medical options, there are a few lifestyle changes you can make to address a thyroid condition and hair loss — although these may be more effective in preventing hair loss rather than treating it. 

How to Prevent Hair Loss Due to Thyroid Problems

When it comes to thyroid problems, the best way to protect your hair is to protect your thyroid. The key to preventing hair loss in thyroid disease is to maintain the right balance of thyroid hormones. 

To start, it’s good to monitor thyroid hormone levels in the blood. Thyroid function tests typically involve blood tests that measure thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), and sometimes free triiodothyronine (FT3).

These results will give a good indication of how your thyroid is tracking; if they pick up any inconsistencies, they may be able to help you take action (usually through prescribed thyroid medication) before hair loss symptoms appear. 

But there are also some things you can try at home to support your thyroid, which may help prevent hair loss or support regrowth. 

Take stress, for example. 

Stress impacts the thyroid. That’s because the thyroid works closely with the adrenal glands, which are located above the kidneys.

When you’re stressed, the adrenal glands pump out cortisol — the stress hormone. Up in the brain, that cortisol can wreak havoc on the pituitary gland, inhibiting its ability to produce the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which leads to a drop in T3 and T4 levels, too.

Stress can also disrupt your immune system, which may lead to thyroid problems like autoimmune thyroid disease and hypothyroidism. 

So naturally, managing stress levels may help keep your thyroid healthy. Try stress reduction techniques like meditation, breathwork, and yoga. 

You can also help support hair health through a nutritious diet that is high in protein, iron, B vitamins, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids — all nutrients that are essential for hair health. 

Learn more about the best foods for hair health. 

Lifestyle changes — managing stress, eating a nutrient-rich diet, getting enough sleep, and so forth — may help support hair health.

But your best solution for hair loss is to consult a medical professional. A doctor can help create a treatment plan to address both the thyroid condition and the hair loss. This plan may include a hair regrowth treatment with active ingredients proven to work. 

The Hairy Pill® may be another option for you, providing a personalised, medically-backed treatment for hair loss. Find out if it’s right for you.

Coping with the Emotional Impact of Thyroid Hair Loss

It’s natural to feel distressed about hair loss from thyroid disease. The psychological impacts of hair loss in general are well-documented, with people often reporting low confidence, self-esteem, or mood. 

The thyroid disorder itself won’t help, since thyroid hormonal imbalances can also lead to emotional symptoms, such as anxiety, stress, and low mood. 

But it may help to know there is something you can do about it. 

To start, you can focus on feeling more confident about yourself. How this looks for you might be different to someone else. 

You may feel better about yourself by getting styling advice from a hairdresser to make your hair look fuller or by wearing a wig or a hair topper. Or you might like to radically change your look to embrace your changing hair. 

Beyond Blue and Medicare Mental Health both offer free tools and guidance to help you when you’re feeling distressed. 

A support group may also help you feel a little less alone. The Australian National Alopecia Areata Foundation provides support groups for those diagnosed with the specific hair loss condition, alopecia areata. 

Overseas, The Women’s Hair Loss Project and Bald Girls Do Lunch are American-based organisations, but they still provide a range of online resources and a welcoming virtual community to help you feel supported.

When to See a Doctor?

If you’re concerned about thinning hair and you don’t know what’s behind it, it might be time to book a doctor’s appointment. 

If you have hair loss from a thyroid condition, but treatment isn’t improving the situation, it may also be time to bring it up with your doctor. 

A doctor can recommend blood tests to check your thyroid hormone levels and rule out any other potential causes of hair thinning. 

In short: if you’re concerned at all about your hair, speak to a medical professional. Getting early intervention can help prevent further hair loss and may lead to a better chance of hair regrowth.

FAQs

1. Can mild thyroid imbalances cause hair loss, or does it only happen in severe cases?

In theory, mild thyroid imbalances can cause hair loss just as easily as severe cases. This is confirmed by the research, with studies as far back as 1972 concluding that any level of thyroid hormone deficiency can lead to more hair shedding. 

More recently, a 2023 research article also confirmed that even mild changes in thyroid hormone levels can significantly impact hair follicles. 

But that’s not a sign to instantly blame hair loss on your thyroid — or to start panicking about your thyroid if you have hair loss. 

In reality, it’s uncommon for mild or short-term thyroid problems to cause hair loss — and hair shedding may be a sign that something else is going on. That’s why we always recommend consulting a doctor if you’re concerned about excessive hair fall.

2. Does thyroid-related hair loss affect only the scalp, or can it impact body and facial hair as well?

Thyroid disorders may not just affect the hair on your head. Certain thyroid problems can cause eyebrow and (less commonly) eyelash hair loss, too!

Hypothyroidism can make the eyebrows thin, especially at the outer third of the eyebrows, resulting in shortened eyebrows. The condition has many names,  including lateral eyebrow loss, the Hertoghe sign, or the Queen Anne sign.

Though uncommon, eyelash hair loss is possible too. A 2024 case study reported the story of a 24-year-old female presenting with eyelash hair loss as a result of hypothyroidism. Fortunately, her symptoms were reversed with treatment. 

3. Can pregnancy or postpartum thyroid issues lead to temporary or permanent hair loss?

Hair loss after pregnancy is common. This is usually the natural result of see-sawing oestrogen levels. But sometimes, it can also be caused by pregnancy-related thyroid problems. The most common of these is postpartum thyroiditis. 

Some 5–10% of pregnant women experience postpartum thyroiditis, which is when their thyroid gland becomes inflamed after childbirth, a miscarriage, or an abortion. 

The condition usually follows a standard pattern: hyperthyroidism, followed by hypothyroidism. Hair loss is a common symptom of the disorder.

Postpartum thyroiditis is typically temporary. Hair loss is usually reversed once the thyroid returns to normal, but in very rare cases, severe or persistent postpartum thyroidism may lead to permanent hair loss if it isn’t treated effectively. 

4. How does eyebrow thinning relate to thyroid disease, and is it reversible?

Thyroid disease can cause eyebrow thinning in much the same way it causes scalp hair loss; an imbalance of thyroid hormones disrupts the hair growth cycle and causes hair follicles — including those in your eyebrows — to shed more hair than they usually do. 

Once you begin thyroid treatment, it should reverse the eyebrow hair loss — but it won’t happen overnight. Eyebrow hair usually takes 4–6 months to grow back fully. 

5. How long does it take for hair to regrow after starting thyroid medication?

Of course, the answer to this depends on the type of thyroid problem and the medication you’re taking. As a general rule, once the medication rebalances your thyroid hormone levels, it can take 3–6 months to notice real improvements to your hair. 

Take levothyroxine as an example. This common medication for hypothyroidism starts immediately, but it may take a few weeks to find the right dose for you and a few more again to see any improvements in hair loss symptoms. 

The key is to be patient. It doesn’t mean the medication isn’t working. It just takes time for new growth to appear once the hair growth cycle returns to normal.