Hair loss Advice required please : Any advice for... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

137,936 members161,765 posts

Hair loss Advice required please

Wired123 profile image
29 Replies

Any advice for hair loss. Thyroid tests all ok TSH below 1, T3 and T4 quite high.

Vit D, B12 and Ferritin all in the right area - mid to high. Zinc, chromium, magnesium also all good.

Anything else worth exploring?

Written by
Wired123 profile image
Wired123
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
29 Replies
Serendipitious profile image
Serendipitious

Can you post your results with reference ranges. What thyroid medication are you taking? How long did you leave between your last dose and blood draw? Somebody can then comment.

Reed2 profile image
Reed2

Hello what about hair texture do u notes any changes like coarse or straw

Wired123 profile image
Wired123 in reply to Reed2

It’s thinner, dryer and more knotty. But losing hundreds of strands daily.

Wired123 profile image
Wired123 in reply to Wired123

Ongoing for 6 months and not stopping

1Artist1 profile image
1Artist1

I am having the same problem and would find any advice helpful

Wired123 profile image
Wired123 in reply to 1Artist1

Have you tried anything so far?

1Artist1 profile image
1Artist1 in reply to Wired123

Only biotin shampoo and have just started vitamins in the hope that might help

Lora7again profile image
Lora7again

When I was having extreme hair loss I was told by a hair loss site that Ferritin needs to be over 80 for hair growth. I have had 2 lots of hair loss in the last 12 years they both lasted about 2 years and the 1st time was because I was very hyperthyroid with low Ferritin and low vitamin D. The 2nd was mainly because my T4 and T3 levels were not right for me. My hair has now been growing back for over a year and looks ok but not as thick as it used to be. I had hair extension to hide the loss which did help but they can be expensive. I do know how distressing hair loss can be and at one time I was losing hundreds a day and I thought I would go bald but I didn't. If you post your blood results I will have a look and see if I can see what is causing it. Just having levels within the normal range doesn't always mean normal for you.

Wired123 profile image
Wired123 in reply to Lora7again

Is there a hair loss site you can recommend and I can also see if any good advice there?

Wired123 profile image
Wired123 in reply to Wired123

Thanks in advance

Lora7again profile image
Lora7again in reply to Wired123

There is one called Her Alopecia but it didn't really help me because my hair loss was caused by my thyroid. Once my thyroid levels were ok my hair grew back.

Thenightowl profile image
Thenightowl in reply to Lora7again

Yes I think my chronic low ferritin might be causing my hair loss, raising it now at long last. Fingers crossed I'll have a luscious long mane one day!

Probably not though, just a bit less falling out would be lovely.

Wired123 profile image
Wired123

Thanks for the replies. It’s definitely not thyroid or iron related. Hence I’m asking if anyone has other suggestions. Those things have already been explored. Appreciate this is a thyroid forum but there could be secondary reasons, possibly related to thyroid, but not directly attributed to thyroid hormones.

Are there any other tests anyone can suggest?

Serendipitious profile image
Serendipitious

What’s your digestion like? You need good levels of protein but you need to be digesting it properly too.

Just checked your last post. You’ve got positive thyroid antibodies which means you have Hashimoto’s. Your FT4 is over range.

Your Ferritin at 46 is too low. It needs to be around 50 to stop hair loss and between 70-90 to grow new hair. Moreover you need a Ferritin of 90-110 for your thyroid to work properly. This last statement is according to Dr Izabella Wentz.

Lora7again profile image
Lora7again in reply to Serendipitious

I agree, her Ferritin is too low if it is 46. I took Spatone and ate pate twice a week to bring up my level.

Serendipitious profile image
Serendipitious in reply to Lora7again

Yes I’ve been eating chicken liver regularly as a means to improve Ferritin levels And it has helped. By the way this response didn’t go to the original author.

Spatone did nothing for me. Too low a dose for me. I’m taking Thorne Ferrasorb.

Lora7again profile image
Lora7again in reply to Serendipitious

Sorry I worded it wrong which I will now correct. Just to add I now have a Ferritin level of over 300 which is above range because I have inflammation in my body.

Serendipitious profile image
Serendipitious in reply to Lora7again

No worries I’m sure the original author will see all this if they want to

Lora7again profile image
Lora7again in reply to Serendipitious

Hopefully she will read the whole thread. I don't need to take any iron now because mine is too high which I think is caused by my very high antibodies and my multinodular goiter (inflammation)

Serendipitious profile image
Serendipitious in reply to Lora7again

Gosh yes that’s very high. Hope you’re able to resolve this.

Lora7again profile image
Lora7again in reply to Serendipitious

The GP tells me to keep an eye on it and if it reaches 800 I will have to give blood.

Redlester profile image
Redlester in reply to Lora7again

how frequently did you take the Spatone Lora7again? - I also have hair loss and ferritin measured 3 weeks ago was only 20 [up from 13]

Lora7again profile image
Lora7again in reply to Redlester

I took it daily and I tried to eat more red meat and pate twice a week which I think helped. It does take a while for hair loss to stop. Hair is quick to fall out and slow to grow back I'm afraid.

Redlester profile image
Redlester in reply to Lora7again

I had been thinking of trying it - I read something on the Restless Legs Forum where the advice was that if you take it at night [bedtime] there is less of a problem with competing with other stuff in the stomach from an absorption point of view and that if you take it every other night [as opposed to every night] it gets levels up quicker for some reason. I'm going to try the pate and hope my digestive system can cope with it - which form of spatone did you use Lora7again?

Wired123 profile image
Wired123 in reply to Redlester

So if I’m reading this right, taking supplement every other day works better than every day? Is there any science to support this?

Agree on eating liver, it’s a superfood and not just for the iron. Also high in B12 and a few other essential vits.

Wired123 profile image
Wired123

Hi thanks for all the replies. As I said Ferritin is not relevant here as I have alpha thallasaemia. What this means is that my ferritin will never go that high, hence a red herring,

Any other ideas?

Wired123 profile image
Wired123

I think it’s worth pointing out that whilst there’s a reference range not everyone can get their iron that high even if they are supplementing.

It can be harmful to push more iron into the body when it’s not required.

Serendipitious profile image
Serendipitious in reply to Wired123

Reference ranges are made up of the general population which includes people who are sick and have too much iron. So yes the aim isn’t to reach for the highest level of iron or Ferritin.

Hope you’re able to find the root cause of your issues and resolve them. All the best.

Wired123 profile image
Wired123

Hoping someone can help with some ideas other than those discussed above.

You may also like...

Advice about hair loss please

levo to be working? I did read a really good post here about hair cycles and now I cant find it!

Extreme Hair Loss Advice

extra advice from all the beyond amazing people of this forum. I've always had some hair loss...

Low Ferritin and hair loss, would appreciate advice please

Hi All Would be so grateful for advice on my blood tests and also desperate for advice on how to...

Advice on weight loss please

bit different. I know we're all different and one thing doesn't work for all. One thing that...

Help Please. Head hair and body hair loss but nails are growing..

shedding of head hair, eyebrows, chest hair, arm pit hair, pubic hair, some arm and leg hair and a...