There are many medical conditions that can cause hair loss. A common disease that causes hair loss involves the thyroid.
The thyroid is a gland that regulates hormones in our body. Hypothyroidism involves the thyroid under-producing thyroid hormones while hyperthyroidism involves the thyroid over-producing hormones. Both thyroid diseases are linked to hair loss.
Why do thyroid disorders cause hair loss?
The answer to this has to do with the regulation of our hormones. When there is a change in our hormone levels for any reason, it can cause a disruption in many areas of normal body functioning. Because hormones are involved in almost every body function, even the smallest disruption can cause a ripple effect. DHT which regulates hair growth, is very sensitive to hormonal changes. One small hormonal imbalance can cause the build-up of DHT, which in turn causes hair follicles to stop producing new hair growth.
Additionally, It’s not just the thyroid disorder itself that can cause hair loss. The drugs used to treat thyroid disorders can also cause hair loss. This is an unfortunate side effect of some necessary medications.
Thankfully, there are many treatment options for those with a thyroid condition. If you believe your hair loss is caused by your disease or by medication you’re taking to treat your condition, see if your doctor can add or switch your medication. This may be all you need to resolve or lessen your hair loss.
Still, for some who have a thyroid condition, their hair loss is persistent regardless of changed treatment methods. For these individuals, they may need to take a more aggressive course of action such as PRP therapy treatments or laser therapy. Both of these methods of hair restoration are aggressive enough to help stop and reverse hair loss in many individuals.
If you think your hair loss may be caused by a thyroid condition, visit your doctor as soon as possible. Thyroid conditions can be confirmed or denied with a simple blood test. If the disease is confirmed, simply treating it with medications may cause hair loss to stop. But if treatment does not affect the hair loss, or if the disease was denied, consider meeting with an experienced and certified hair transplant surgeon. During a consultation, the surgeon can address the root cause of the hair loss as well as assess your treatment options.
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What is alopecia areata and do you have it?
Alopecia areata is one of many types of hair loss. Alopecia areata involves your immune system attacking your hair follicles. This damage causes hair loss.
Much is still unknown about why the immune system attacks your follicles. What is known is that naturally occurring antibodies are mistaken as foreign antibodies and get programmed for destruction.
In a person with alopecia areata, hair loss usually begins with clumps of hair falling out. This leaves round hairless patches on the scalp. Some cases may present with thinning across the scalp. Other cases present with hair breaking off before growing very long.
It is common for individuals with alopecia areata to notice their symptoms come and go. The hair loss can be permanent and non-permanent. The hair loss is more likely to be permanent if there is a family history of the disease or another auto-immune disease, or if the hair loss is extensive.
While there isn’t a cure for alopecia areata, there has been some success with various treatment methods. The most common treatment method is corticosteroid injections in the scalp.
Minoxidil (Rogaine) has also shown to be effective in some individuals with alopecia areata.
If you think you may have alopecia areata, you should visit an experienced and certified hair restoration surgeon. A simple exam and hair analysis will determine if you have the disease.
Here at Modena Hair Institute, we specialize in the medical management of hair loss. We have years of experience treating individuals with alopecia areata as well as other hair loss causing medical conditions. Give us a call today to schedule a consultation.
