Problems With Your Thyroid and Fast Thinning Hair

Have you seen those commercials where there is a married couple, who happen to be turtles? These turtles like their dial-up and hate fast connecting Internet access...they like it slow.

People with problems with hypothyroidism have bodies that like it slow, although one of the signs is a problematic thyroid and fast thinning hair.

What causes thinning hair in someone with thyroid problems?

A thyroid that is not producing enough thyroid hormone (or more commonly if there is a problem with the conversion and utilization of the hormone itself) will cause almost every cell in the body to slow down. Tissues that have a high turnover rate (hair, skin, lining of your gut) will suffer the most.

This sets up a couple of problems.

First, your hair is in one of three phases: growth (anagen), rest (catagen) or shedding (telogen). Different hairs are in different stages at all time. As long as everything is normal, you will not notice any signs of hair loss (which is a normal, daily occurrence, just check your pillow). When there is a problem with the thyroid and fast thinning hair, it is due to the slow reproduction of new hairs. Now you can start seeing some gaps, but not in one specific location as seen in other forms of hair loss.

Second, other problems associated with hypothyroidism (low volume of blood, dehydration, constipation, toxic overload and malabsorption) can lead to poor physical makeup of the hair itself and lower levels of oils to keep the hair healthy. The hair may seem brittle and unmanageable.

While this is not the only cause for thinning hair, it should always be pursued as a possible cause when the pattern is not a local bald spot. Many men and women are chalking it up to bad genes when they are actually seeing a problem with the thyroid and fast thinning hair.

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