Ralf Paus, MD, FRSB Professor of Dermatology

[helvella]

A few weeks ago I posted an abstract about using topical thyroid hormone.

Topical L‐thyroxine: The Cinderella among hormones waiting to dance on the floor of dermatological therapy?

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

On that thread, jimh111 made the very good point that it might actually be a better idea to try T3 than T4. (Thank you, Jim.)

I mulled this over and decided to email Ralf Paus - who has now responded:

To be perfectly honest, I have not considered carefully the liothyronine (T3) alternative, since most of our own relevant preclinial experiments were performed with T4 - not the least since it is, as you know, the medically most widely prescribed thyroid hormone therapy and would therefore be most likely to be embraced by dermatologists for off-label indications. Also, just as others in the literature before us, we had noted that T4 may unfold some functional effects of its own, presumably independent of its conversion to T3.

But your points about T3 being much better soluble, potentially showing better skin penetration, and direct action without conversion are all well taken: in future wound healing experiments (=our current focus), we will definitely consider to run an additional test group with topical T3.

I have copied your email to my lab chief, Dr. Cheret, and welcome further feedback & thoughts from your group/forum.

Our main problem at this time is identifying adequate funding for research into topical wound healing applications of thyroid hormones. Suggestions where we might wish to try our luck would therefore be particularly helpful.

It appears possible that Jim's suggestion and my email have together prompted at least thoughts about T3.

[BB001]

Brilliant! As so many hypothyroid patients have gut issues that affect T4 conversion and thyroid hormone absorption this could be a game changer: no conversion required and no barriers to absorption. Wow.

[Tythrop in reply to BB001]

What about t3 patches too? I take hrt by patches.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Tythrop]

Even if T3 can be absorbed by the skin, maybe needing some sort of promoter to achieve that, any that is absorbed might tend to remain in the skin and not get distributed around the body.

Thus, in simplistic terms, over-dosed skin and under-dosed body.

I don't know this would happen, but it is a concern.

[tattybogle]

Result . well done helvella and jim.It seems that various other areas of medicine are much more informed and open minded to interesting thoughts on thyroid hormones than endocrinology is.

I've seen good stuff from Vets , and opthamologists, and bone /muscle , and dermatology specialists, and gastroenterologists.

Wonder what it is about endocrinology , that pre-selects for closed minds.

[jimh111]

I didn't get a notification but found this via your other post. Perhaps the notification didn't work because there doesn't appear to be a space after the comma. Or perhaps it's just a bit slow due to the Christmas post.

I used to have very dry hands when hypo but now I am treated the skin is very good. Perhaps someone who have dry hands could try a little dissolved L-T3 on one hand for a few days, maybe dabbing a bit on every few hours.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to jimh111]

I used to have very dry hands

I spent years and years almost obsessively using handcreams. I'd form fists so that the skin didn't feel quite so dry.

Since adequate treatment, much, much better. Just the usual dry skin that anyone might get when I have done a lot of hand-washing or cleaning with detergents, etc.

[jimh111 in reply to helvella]

My hands also had an orange / yellow tint that showed up when I gently stretched my fingers back (Carotenemia), this is a sign of hypothyroidism.

[penny in reply to helvella]

Because my OH used to have very dry skin on his hands from too-frequent washing I started making my own soap and this has stopped the dry skin. I looked up the ingredients of commercial soap and found several known irritants and carcinogens.