Treatment
The treatment of hair loss in thyroid gland dysfunction consists in adjusting the thyroid hormones. Depending on whether over- or under-functioning is present, different therapeutic mechanisms must be used. Underactive thyroid is in most cases treated by substitution of the thyroid hormones.Once a normal hormone level is reached, the symptoms usually improve within a short period of time.
However, it often takes a certain amount of time for the correct adjustment to be made. In difficult cases, the hormone adjustment can take up to a year. The therapy for hyperthyroidism, on the other hand, must be chosen depending on the triggering cause.
If the thyroid gland itself produces too many hormones, the dysfunction can be treated with medication, called thyrostatic drugs. If the thyroid function remains elevated despite the thyrostatic drugs, surgery of the thyroid gland should be considered. This can involve partial or complete removal of the thyroid gland. Especially in the case of an enlargement of the thyroid gland (goiter), a so-called strum resection is necessary, although part of the thyroid gland may be preserved. If a tumor is the cause of hyperthyroidism, a complete removal (thyroidectomy) must be performed.
Duration of hair loss
How long the symptom of hair loss in thyroid gland dysfunction lasts depends mainly on how long it takes to achieve a so-called euthyroidism. This term describes a condition in which neither too many nor too few thyroid hormones are present. Since the function of the thyroid gland is subject to a complex control circuit, a good adjustment of the function can take up to a year. In most cases, however, the hair loss improves within a few weeks after thyroid therapy has been started.
Prognosis
In case of hair loss due to a thyroid gland dysfunction, the hair can grow back. If the thyroid gland is well adjusted, the factors that disrupt hair growth or make the hair brittle are no longer present. As a result, the hair can partially regenerate. Often, however, new hair must first grow back, so it takes a while before the original hair situation is restored.