Introduction
Hair loss is initially a very common thing. Every person loses some hair every day, especially in men at a higher age, hair loss is also a natural reaction of the body. In principle, however, you should not lose more than 100 hairs per day.
On the other hand, those who lose significantly more hair suffer from hair loss. The thyroid gland disorder is divided into two opposing diseases: We distinguish between hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) and hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). Both thyroid disorders can promote hair loss by changing the hormones.
Causes
The causes of hair loss due to a thyroid disorder can be both over- and under-functioning of the thyroid gland. In hyperthyroidism, the organ produces too many of its hormones. Among other things, this disrupts the growth of hair, so that it can fall out.
Hypothyroidism, on the other hand, is more likely to affect the structure of the hair. These become dull and dry due to the lack of thyroid hormones, which causes them to break off and fall out quickly. With hyperthyroidism, hair loss is one of the many typical symptoms.
The hyperthyroidism can be triggered by a variety of factors. Hyperthyroidism is often caused by inflammatory or autoimmune processes in the body. The immune system begins to recognize the thyroid gland as a foreign body.
In return, the thyroid gland produces more hormones. In rare cases, malignant diseases are also the reason for hyperthyroidism. If, for example, a hormone-producing tumor forms in the thyroid gland, there is suddenly a significantly increased release of thyroid hormones.
In addition, the so-called iatrogenic cause of hyperthyroidism must not be excluded. This is an overactive thyroid caused by humans (usually treating physicians) due to an excessive dosage of thyroid hormones. Even people with hypothyroidism can have too many thyroid hormones in their blood due to an overdose of their medication.
Hyperfunction of the pituitary gland (hypophysis) can also lead to an overactive thyroid gland. The pituitary gland produces the hormone TSH, which in turn stimulates the thyroid gland to produce the hormones T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine). The hormones T3 and T4 in turn increase the body’s basal metabolic rate and inhibit the production of various substances necessary for hair growth.
Hypothyroidism does not usually have a direct effect on hair growth, so hair loss is a rather rare symptom of hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism can be triggered by various factors. Very rarely the function of the thyroid gland is already disturbed in the newborn age, in this case the thyroid gland is not fully developed, so that hardly any thyroid hormones are produced.
This leads, among many other symptoms, to the fact that newborns do not lose their first hairs and no new hairs are formed. At an advanced age, hypothyroidism is due to a variety of factors. Often a lack of iodine and selenium is the cause for the development of the hypofunction.
Without these elements, the thyroid gland is only partially effective, and there is a significantly reduced secretion of thyroid hormones. Autoimmune processes also play a role in hypothyroidism. For example, inflammatory processes can be triggered that negatively influence the function of the thyroid gland.
Hashimoto’s disease also triggers hypothyroidism. In principle, hypothyroidism can also be triggered by operations on the thyroid gland. In addition, a disease of the pituitary gland (pituitary gland) can affect the thyroid gland.
If too little hormone TSH is produced in the pituitary gland, the thyroid gland does not receive enough stimulus to produce its hormones. Hypothyroidism is characterized by a deficiency of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4. This reduces the body’s metabolic rate.
On the hair this leads to brittle and dry hair, which promotes hair loss. Hashimoto’s disease (Hashimoto thyroiditis) is an autoimmune disease of the thyroid gland. In autoimmune diseases, cells of the immune system attack the body’s own organs; in the case of Hashimoto’s disease, the thyroid gland is affected.
The exact causes of the disease have not been clarified to date, but it is a common disease.First of all, Hashimoto can be accompanied by a short-term hyperthyroidism, which can disturb the growth of the hair by an excess of hormones. In the long run, however, an underactive thyroid gland develops. This makes the hair particularly brittle and can cause hair loss. The Hashimoto Thyroiditis is currently not curable, but the symptoms can be treated very well by the administration of thyroid hormones. Do you suffer from Hashimoto Thyroiditis?
