T4 & Hair loss

About 6 months ago I took levoxyl (T4) for a month and stopped. Some of my hair fell out. Unfortunately, it is STILL not growing back. Any advice on how to get it to grow back?

[Pastille]

Hi Hidden  , I can only tell you of my own experience of being on levothyroxine (T4). Each time I increase the dose I experience some hair loss. It must just be the body's reaction to the sudden rush of T4. I can't give you a technical answer, only that it happens to me and with me it does settle down and it does slowly come back. Unfortunately it takes time to see any improvement and to start to feel it thicken. Maybe it's the shock of hormonal changes.  

[debjs]

My hair fell out in handfuls when I took T4.  It slowly recovered on Armour and I began to notice improvement after about 6 months but it probably took a year to fully recover.

[linlow]

Hidden do an online search for witch hazel / coconut oil to boost hair regrowth.  If you decide to try the witch hazel do check out which is the best quality you have access to - some (not all) of the cheaper brands are hardly better than smelly water.

[greygoose]

Yes, T4 does cause hair to fall out. For some people, it's just in the first months, but for others, it continues as long as they take T4. The technical explanation is that the T4 changes testosterone to bad testosterone - can't remember the name - which makes hair fall out.

To counter-act that, it's a good idea to take Evening Primrose Oil and Borage oïl. No guarantees, but it could very well help.

However, T4 is not the only thing that has an effect on hair. Low iron will also make you lose your hair - and it won't grow back until you optimise your ferritin. Some of the B vits, if they're low, will cause it to fall out, as well.

So, the best thing you could do is get your vit B12, folate, vit D and ferritin tested, and supplement the deficiencies.

All my hair fell out - and I mean all, in one go, in the shower - when I was on T3 only. But, my ferritin proved to be low, and now I'm supplementing that, it's regrowing. Takes a long time, but I'll get there!

[jacrjacr]

remember i hair grows in a cycle so i was told it may take a year to recover but to make sure like she said above that all deficiencies are checked in blood test so you dont waste any time....also....dr told me that any sudden increase or decrease  in any hormone can cause hair loss but recovers when they are restored....mine fell out when i stopped bhrt and my tsh went to 2.25......i also take t4......it is more common with those menopausal i think.......i still have not found exactly what is causing mine....mine is very thin on top and sides but a friend said hers did this and in a year it recovered without her doing anything......it is very scary ......mine has been over a year....and still coming out......

[linlow]

jacrjacr's comment about deficiency sparked another thought.  As well as taking a look at your diet to make sure it covers the full range of nutrients, check out lemon juice and onion juice too.

[Hidden]

UPDATE: I did some research and found out about Folate/Folic Acid and it's role in hair growth. I started taking Folic Acid about 5 days ago and I swear my hair seems to be growing already after almost a year of being stagnate. A Folic Acid deficiency plays a big role in anemia just like Iron deficiency does.

progressivehealth.com/folic...

"Folic Acid and Hair Loss

Folic acid deficiency can lead to hair loss because it is one of the many signs of a poor diet.

When the body’s store of folic acid is low, essential cellular processes decline and this leads to cell death, tissue damage, organ failure and loss of bodily functions.

Studies already show that as the level of folic acid in the body falls, red blood cells lose their forms. This is mainly due to the disruption in DNA synthesis and protein coding.

When the red blood cells are improperly formed, they cannot carry their full capacities of oxygen to other cells that need it for metabolism. The cells of the hair follicles are affected in this way.

When the number of malformed red blood cells increases, a form of anemia, macrocytic anemia, results.

Therefore, the cells of the hair follicles are affected in two ways.

First, the decline in cell metabolism means that these cells cannot keep up the rate of hair production.

Hair follicle cell division and growth are reduced especially when the cells are not adequately suffused with oxygen and nutrients. Not only the hair strands but also the scalp is affected.

Other cells such as papilla and oil-secreting cells will also be affected. This leads to a fall in the production of new hairs, graying hair as well as a sharp rise in the number of hair strands falling off.

Secondly, the anemia caused by folic acid deficiency is closely related to the one caused by iron deficiency.

This means that the cells will turn to alternative sources of energy when the nutrients and oxygen for the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) are diminished. One of these alternative energy sources is testosterone.

With increased production of testosterone is an associated rise in its conversion to DHT (dihydrotestosterone) which is known to cause androgen-related hair loss.

Therefore, folic acid deficiency starts a series of interrelated adverse effects which leads to hair loss."

[Oobie_ in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for this explanation. I can't seem to get past 25mcg t4. I tried using ndt instead of levo in addition to t3 but hair l my hair started falling in a matter of days. I will try supplementing with folate before I try this again.

[Hidden in reply to Oobie_]

Goodluck!!!! This is not an easy process!