How to hide extremely dry thyroid related hair?

[Blondieee]

How to "hide" extremely dry thyroid related hay hair? My hair looks like I've bleached it several times over, it's so dry. It's NEVER been this dry. What can I do for it?

I have to use sulfates. My scalp doesn't like sulfate free shampoos and it causes hair loss.

[lapushka]

Didn't you want to go blonde a while ago? Did you do that? :)

[Blondieee]

Yes I wanted to go blonde before, but I'm honestly scared to. My hair is so dry I just don't think it can handle it even with blonde dye. And my hair loss was looking a lot better and now it seems to be worse again. I think I might just stick with brown and put a toner on it. I know, I'm probably driving you guys insane cause I can't make a hair color decision lol sorry!

[lapushka]

If you are suffering hair loss, I would stay away from all dyes, even natural ones; and toners too.

Just leave it be, and let it grow back in natural.

[Blondieee]

That's what I've been doing for 5 years and no improvement. Still bald spots and still extremely dry :(

The reason I was thinking about using a toner is because I used Redken Shades EQ before when I was experiencing hair loss and major hair dryness. And it helped a lot and made my hair moisturized again. The comb slid through my hair like butter. It looked healthy. My hair grew super fast too.

[lisita1991]

How to "hide" extremely dry thyroid related hay hair? My hair looks like I've bleached it several times over, it's so dry. It's NEVER been this dry. What can I do for it?

I have to use sulfates. My scalp doesn't like sulfate free shampoos and it causes hair loss.

Are you optimal on thyroid meds? Nothing solves my hair issues like correct thyroid meds.

[Blondieee]

Are you optimal on thyroid meds? Nothing solves my hair issues like correct thyroid meds.

I'm not taking anything for my thyroid. Doctors are dismissing it and also, I'm a member of Hashimoto's support groups online and once a week, someone posts about all the thyroid medication related hair loss that they've experienced which is not reversible. It's listed as a side effect of the medication. And when I have brought that up to doctors, they said "Yes thyroid medication does cause hair loss, but hypothyroidism also causes hair loss." I would rather lose my hair from my thyroid not functioning right than to have a medication that I'm choosing to put in my body take my hair.

I know thyroid medication related hair loss doesn't happen with everybody, but I've seen it happen often enough.

My most recent thyroid numbers:
TSH - 3.45
Free T3 - 3.6 (1.5-3.5)
Free T4 - 1.2 (0.6-1.5)

[Obsidian]

Keeping your thyroid healthy is more important than hair. Thyroid effects everything from temp regulation to how your heart functions. Year ago, I was rushed to the ER with symptoms of a heart attack, it was determined my thyroid was so low my heart couldn't function correctly.
Getting on meds was one of the best things I ever did. Skin and hair isn't as dry, I have more energy and most of all, my heart functions properly. I have zero side effects from the meds, neither do my mom or grandmother.

[daywalker]

I was diagnosed with normal thyroid despite several hyperthyroid symptoms like dry skin, dry crunchy hair, palpitations, and high blood pressure out of nowhere years ago. Since I'm being dismissed (am treating high blood pressure with meds, with their own nasty side effects), I have found great success with It's a 10 Miracle spray. My hair is now BSL where before it would break at chin length just due to manipulation. The spray helps me "fake it til I make it" I guess!

[Andthetalltrees]

I don't understand why you know you have an issue and won't do anything about it. Side effects don't happen to everyone and it might not even be related, Isn't your health more important? I have Hashimoto's too and take medicine, My hair is still super thick(In fact I think my hair started growing in a bit thicker after starting to take the medicine!) and I feel a lot better and I'm healthier. Hiding the issue won't fix why it happened and will continue to happen

[spidermom]

Agree with above. Normal thyroid function is essential for many of your body functions. Get your health where it should be, then focus on bringing out the best in your hair.

[lapushka]

Agree with above. Normal thyroid function is essential for many of your body functions. Get your health where it should be, then focus on bringing out the best in your hair.

Very wise words! :flower:
And I fully agree! :agree:

[Arciela]

My sister had hair loss and all kinds of health issues due to thyroid problems. She also was afraid of the medicine but finally found a good doctor. She got on a medication for it and a couple years later her hair is in a great spot :flower:

I am also going to agree with them, focus on the thyroid issue first, hair after.

[meteor]

My most recent thyroid numbers:
TSH - 3.45
Free T3 - 3.6 (1.5-3.5)
Free T4 - 1.2 (0.6-1.5)

Hmm. My thyroid numbers are worse than this and my doctor isn't prescribing any thyroid medication... :hmm: When I search this information, different doctors have different viewpoints on what's normal for TSH and free T3/T4, and it really depends on the specific case. You should really talk to your doctors to understand better what's going on in your case. They've done a lot of relevant tests on you over the years that should be giving them a good grasp of what's going on in your case.

Also, I noticed you have multiple threads on iron deficiency, as well, and I should mention that iron deficiency can be concomitant with hypothyroidism, because thyroid requires quite a lot of iron to produce its T3/T4 hormones and also because a common symptom of hypothyroidism is low stomach acid which can reduce your ability to absorb nutrients (e.g. iron in food). (http://www.mdedge.com/clinicalendocrinologynews/article/104350/pituitary-thyroid-adrenal-disorders/iron-deficiency-may)

You'll really need to discuss your situation with your doctors. But I understand why asking them why your hair isn't as thick as you'd like isn't getting any clear answers from them: doctors will focus on vital organs functioning properly first and foremost, which is great. Also there are so MANY reasons hair can thin, it can be a symptom of many problems, hard to pinpoint. Also, many people have iron and thyroid problems and their hair is still very thick, it's not like we all get the exact same symptoms. Improving overall health is the best bet anyway, and that's what I'd try to work closely with your doctors on. :flower:


As for your question in the title of this thread, an easy way to "hide" hair dryness is using leave-ins, oils, serums and/or putting hair up or braiding it after oiling...

Also, I'd honestly reconsider the plan to go blonde that you expressed in another thread. :flower: Peroxide is very damaging to hair, and it increases hair's porosity ("Chemical damage (oxidative bleach) nearly triples the hair surface area in the first minute of bleaching due to the increase in the number of pores, followed by a sudden drop after 10 min of bleaching from smaller pores breaking down into larger ones."http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc2008/cc059n04/p00303-p00315.pdf), which can lead to hair losing moisture more easily, appearing even more dry and damaged. Maybe getting a blonde wig is going to be a safer option, if you really want to go blonde?

[lapushka]

Hmm. My thyroid numbers are worse than this and my doctor isn't prescribing any thyroid medication... :hmm: When I search this information, different doctors have different viewpoints on what's normal for TSH and free T3/T4, and it really depends on the specific case. You should really talk to your doctors to understand better what's going on in your case. They've done a lot of relevant tests on you over the years that should be giving them a good grasp of what's going on in your case.

Also, I noticed you have multiple threads on iron deficiency, as well, and I should mention that iron deficiency can be concomitant with hypothyroidism, because thyroid requires quite a lot of iron to produce its T3/T4 hormones and also because a common symptom of hypothyroidism is low stomach acid which can reduce your ability to absorb nutrients (e.g. iron in food). (http://www.mdedge.com/clinicalendocrinologynews/article/104350/pituitary-thyroid-adrenal-disorders/iron-deficiency-may)

You'll really need to discuss your situation with your doctors. But I understand why asking them why your hair isn't as thick as you'd like isn't getting any clear answers from them: doctors will focus on vital organs functioning properly first and foremost, which is great. Also there are so MANY reasons hair can thin, it can be a symptom of many problems, hard to pinpoint. Also, many people have iron and thyroid problems and their hair is still very thick, it's not like we all get the exact same symptoms. Improving overall health is the best bet anyway, and that's what I'd try to work closely with your doctors on. :flower:


As for your question in the title of this thread, an easy way to "hide" hair dryness is using leave-ins, oils, serums and/or putting hair up or braiding it after oiling...

Also, I'd honestly reconsider the plan to go blonde that you expressed in another thread. :flower: Peroxide is very damaging to hair, and it increases hair's porosity ("Chemical damage (oxidative bleach) nearly triples the hair surface area in the first minute of bleaching due to the increase in the number of pores, followed by a sudden drop after 10 min of bleaching from smaller pores breaking down into larger ones."http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc2008/cc059n04/p00303-p00315.pdf), which can lead to hair losing moisture more easily, appearing even more dry and damaged. Maybe getting a blonde wig is going to be a safer option, if you really want to go blonde?

I agree with this, all of it. You have started so many threads out of sheer desperation, while the only people who can *honestly* truly help are your doctors, so I would take it up with them. And if there's no answers, then... there aren't any, I'm afraid.

If they offer you medication for your thyroid, I would seriously consider it. Trying to Google it and getting frightened into not taking appropriate medication is not the way to go. Other members here have expressed they have *not* lost their hair on thyroid medications, and that should at least put your mind at ease.

Honestly, I would let the doctors handle this, and keep working on getting your iron up - I mean, there isn't any more you can do. Yes, stay away from dyes and other chemical treatments. It's only going to make matters worse.

Lastly, please work on getting *healthy* again, and if you do that, I am *sure* your hair will follow! :flower:

[Deborah]

Maybe your dryness has nothing to do with your thyroid. I was thyroid deficient for many years before I realized it. My hair was just fine. Then I went on thyroid medicine, which I have to take forever I guess. My hair is just the same.

Maybe your dry hair is just dry hair. Take care of your thyroid if your doctor thinks you should.

As to your hair, maybe you just need moisture added via conditioners or whatever works for you.

[Blondieee]

Thanks everyone! My dry hair is definitely thyroid. Like I mentioned, I've never had hair this dry or really dry at all for that matter until now. I haven't used any color or any heat on it in over 5 years, not even a blow dryer. I always let my hair air dry and I don't shampoo every day. I have other obvious signs of hypothyroidism like losing the hair on the ends of my eyebrows. Most doctors aren't trained on where TSH levels should be, but it has become known that people who have healthy thyroid function have a TSH around 1. And I had family members get their TSH tested and it's always around 1.0. It was found that when they calculated the reference range for hypothyroidism, people who were hypothyroid got in the sample and made the reference range much higher than it should be. Even the Academy of Endocrinology has set a new reference range and says it shouldn't be higher than 2.5 but most doctors are not following the new reference range. But who really trusts reference ranges anyway? One lab I went to, the reference range for ferritin starts at 4! 4!!!! Another reference range at another lab starts at 12. When an endocrinologist saw my ferritin, he said it was fine at 12 (in range) but when it was 9 (below range) he said it was too low. This is the sad reality when it comes to our messed up medical system unfortunately. Many times doctors just look to see that you're in the reference range and if you are they dismiss it. My TSH fluctuates wildly (which is common with Hashi's) and it's gone as high as 6 before. Not healthy at all.

I can't take medication that I haven't been instructed to take. Thank you for sharing your experiences. But there are still some people who do have thyroid medication related hair loss. And I personally know some people who have lost massive amounts of hair on it. I'm sorry, but I don't put hair last. Hair is a priority. I would think on a long hair community board that is one thing everyone would agree on. But it doesn't matter anyway right now because doctors haven't given me medication.

I use It's a Ten spray (the leave in conditioner one) if that's the one you're referring to and my hair is still super dry. I've even been deep conditioning it and it's still very dry :(

Obsidian and Andthetalltrees - Would you mind sharing where your TSH level was before and where it is now? And did you have massive hair loss before starting the medication (from the hypothyroidism)? Or is most of the hair loss I'm having low ferritin related?

Cesil - What kind of health problems did your sister have from thyroid problems? I'm asking because I have unexplained symptoms that doctors can't figure out.

As far as going blonde, I am not planning on using bleach at all.

I don't know a nice way to say this, but I would let the doctors help if they actually did their job. I've been having unexplained awful symptoms for years and they've twiddled their thumbs and come up with nothing and just take my money. When you're in good health, it's hard to notice but when you're sick, it's easy to see that our medical system is messed up and pretty embarrassing. I mean, I was told a ferritin of 4 was not causing hair loss and that maybe my hair would regrow in a year or two.

[Rhoward]

If you are suffering hair loss, I would stay away from all dyes, even natural ones; and toners too.

Just leave it be, and let it grow back in natural.

I agree, if your experiencing hair loss and unexplained dry hair I wouldn't dye it. If you HAVE to do something you could use a direct dye (manic panic/adore/directions/etc) diluted with conditioner.

[Blondieee]

I agree, if your experiencing hair loss and unexplained dry hair I wouldn't dye it. If you HAVE to do something you could use a direct dye (manic panic/adore/directions/etc) diluted with conditioner.

But when I dyed it before with Shades EQ, I was having hair loss and unexplained dry hair at that time and it helped my hair a lot. Made it moisturized and healthy looking and it grew like a weed. I don't see what dye would hurt my hair unless it's bleach.

[Rhoward]

But when I dyed it before with Shades EQ, I was having hair loss and unexplained dry hair at that time and it helped my hair a lot. Made it moisturized and healthy looking and it grew like a weed. I don't see what dye would hurt my hair unless it's bleach.

I personally would not put anything other than a moisture treatment on your hair. And dye does cause damage, any chemical process involving colour change where developer (peroxide) is used causes some form of damage. Bleach is more damaging than tint, but tint still does damage the hair, and with your hair the way it is, I wouldn't risk it

[Obsidian]

I honestly have no idea what my TSH level is or was before starting meds. I have had no hair loss from my hypothyroidism or from the meds being used to treat it. I did have a big shed earlier this year that caused some thinning. its just now starting to slowly grow back. I expect it to take many months before I see a real improvement.

I vaguely remember another member who had low iron saying it took 2-3 years for her hair to fill back in after she got her levels back to normal.

[Jo Ann]

Just for the heck of it, have you changed shampoo or conditioners recently? Maybe part of the problem is an ingredient in one or the other that is causing your dry hair problem.

My hair gets super-dry when I use a product that has proteins high on the ingredient list--I go through oil like crazy, trying to get it moisturized, because within a few hours after I apply oil, it gets soaked up and my hair looks almost as dry as it did when I first applied it.

I agree with all the advice you've received--you HAVE to discuss this with your doctor(s)! Besides your hair, check with the doctor about OTHER symptoms you might have. It's possible that, by focussing on your hair only, you are missing other things that can help the doctor(s) narrow down your diagnosis. Also, I wouldn't be so hesitant to take a thyroid supplement if that is suggested by your doctor. There are different ones out there and, I'm sure, one can be found for you that would alleviate the side effects you're concerned about. You won't know until you try it.

The MOST important thing right now is for you to get yourself HEALTHY. If it were me, I'd be following the advice and suggestions of my doctor(s) right now to get the underlying causes of my condition under control FIRST before I went off and did something that might make things worse.

Good luck!

[spidermom]

The human body is a complex organism. Out of the million things that can go wrong with it, doctors can only identify and treat maybe 100,000. It isn't their fault. It isn't that they "aren't doing their jobs". Why do you think they call it medical practice? The main responsibility of taking care of your health is yours, so do your best to eat a healthy diet, get 6-8 cups of water per day, get some exercise, do something to relieve stress, etc. Your hair might be dry because you don't have enough high-quality oils/fats in your diet.

As far as lab results go, you really can't compare levels from one lab to the next because the equipment might be calibrated differently. That's why a result can be considered normal at one lab but too high or too low at another lab. If the lab where you had your tests done say the levels are normal, they are normal for that lab. It's not helpful to compare that to other labs.

If I felt my hair was too dry, I'd get into a routine of using a deep conditioning treatment once per week.

[Kaya]

:scissors:

I can't take medication that I haven't been instructed to take. Thank you for sharing your experiences. But there are still some people who do have thyroid medication related hair loss. And I personally know some people who have lost massive amounts of hair on it. I'm sorry, but I don't put hair last. Hair is a priority. I would think on a long hair community board that is one thing everyone would agree on. But it doesn't matter anyway right now because doctors haven't given me medication.

:scissors:



While I can't chime in on the whole medical side of the issue, I want to comment on the bold part above. Yes, this is a long hair community and yes, we do tend to put more priority on hair health than most. But that does not mean that the majority of people here are willing to put their hair before personal health. There are a lot of seasoned long-haired vets here and I would reckon most would agree with the people here in this thread that are repeatedly recommending you continue working with doctors. You could do anything and everything for your hair to try and get it healthy, but if your body isn't physically healthy to begin with, no amount of of effort with your hair is going to produce long-term results. That's just the plain facts of the matter.

And if possible, since it sounds like your current medical doctors aren't that great, perhaps look into getting a new one? Ask around and get recommendations from other patients if you can. The right doctor can get you started on the road to properly taking care of your physical self and in turn, help your hair as well.

Just my two cents; make of it what you like. :)

[lapushka]

While I can't chime in on the whole medical side of the issue, I want to comment on the bold part above. Yes, this is a long hair community and yes, we do tend to put more priority on hair health than most. But that does not mean that the majority of people here are willing to put their hair before personal health. There are a lot of seasoned long-haired vets here and I would reckon most would agree with the people here in this thread that are repeatedly recommending you continue working with doctors. You could do anything and everything for your hair to try and get it healthy, but if your body isn't physically healthy to begin with, no amount of of effort with your hair is going to produce long-term results. That's just the plain facts of the matter.

And if possible, since it sounds like your current medical doctors aren't that great, perhaps look into getting a new one? Ask around and get recommendations from other patients if you can. The right doctor can get you started on the road to properly taking care of your physical self and in turn, help your hair as well.

Just my two cents; make of it what you like. :)

I have to react tot the bolded statement blondieee made as well. Yes hair is a priority for this board, but if you neglect your health, even this board or that priority isn't going to do *you* much good. You have to put your health first, and if there is something up with your health, your own body will not put your hair first either.

[Blondieee]

I do deep condition once a week. It helps for a day and then it's back to being extremely dry again.

I have seen 20+ doctors with no help and no answers to my very debilitating symptoms I mentioned in the other thread.

I do everything to keep myself healthy. Drink plenty of water, exercise, get plenty of good fats, eat healthy. Please give me some credit. I have major health issues going on that are way out of my control. And the doctors have no clue like usual.

[lapushka]

I do deep condition once a week. It helps for a day and then it's back to being extremely dry again.

I have seen 20+ doctors with no help and no answers to my very debilitating symptoms I mentioned in the other thread.

I do everything to keep myself healthy. Drink plenty of water, exercise, get plenty of good fats, eat healthy. Please give me some credit. I have major health issues going on that are way out of my control. And the doctors have no clue like usual.

To me it sounds like they do, at least for the iron part of it. :flower: They seem to want to help you there!

[Anje]

I do deep condition once a week. It helps for a day and then it's back to being extremely dry again.

What are you deep-conditioning with? If it's drying out again that quickly, you may need to add protein into the conditioning routine. Other than that, oiling would probably be helpful, though you may need to try a few things (coconut, olive, grapeseed, jojoba, argan...) to determine what works best for you. It isn't as good as a scalp and skin that produce their own oils, but it can help replace what's absent.

[spidermom]

I do deep condition once a week. It helps for a day and then it's back to being extremely dry again.

I have seen 20+ doctors with no help and no answers to my very debilitating symptoms I mentioned in the other thread.

I do everything to keep myself healthy. Drink plenty of water, exercise, get plenty of good fats, eat healthy. Please give me some credit. I have major health issues going on that are way out of my control. And the doctors have no clue like usual.

Please remember that I don't know you personally and therefore can't give you credit for things I don't know. There are people out there living on cigarettes and coffee who don't feel well and don't understand why.

One deep conditioning treatment that I have really liked is Joico KPak. There are other good ones on the market, too.

[red-again]

If have hashis and various other autoimmune conditions too. I take NDT ( natural dessicated thyroid which is not available in the uk..well it is but off license and a bloody nightmare to get). So the GP prescribed levothyroxine which is t4 only and I felt terrible. Turns out I had a problem with converting the t4 into t3.
On the NDT I feel well for the first time in ten years. Don't just feel it, I am well.
Tsh is a crap way of saying yay or nay to thyroid treatment. Have a look at the stop the thyroid madness website or FB page. While you are at it do a FB search for Dr Isabella Wentz the thyroid pharmacist as she suffers hashis too and her work is amazing.
I buy my NDT online, there is a loophole currently treating NDT as a supplement so it is legal to get it in that way.
If your thyroid is out of whack, it can be life limiting so please have a look at the sites I've mentioned above and try and get treated, even if you have to do it yourself.