'Queen Anne's sign' diminished eyebrows in hypothyroidism

[thunderthyroid]

I've been wondering for years now if my 'subclinical hypothyroidism' is behind symptoms I've been experiencing and have recently started to more forcefully reengage with my docs over situation. Currently awaiting Medichecks full bloods. However, I've been boning up on hypothyroidism and learned of the 'Queen Anne's sign' yesterday i.e. the outer 3rd of the eyebrows falling out/disappearing in hypothyroidism. I'm quite fair and fine and middleaged now, but the outer 3rd of my eyebrows really do seem to have vanished and what's left is a whisper of an eyebrow either side of my glabella.

Is the Queen Anne's sign a meaningful indicator of hypothyroidism or an old wives' tale?

[Buddy195 Administrator]

I definitely lost the outer third of my eyebrows when diagnosed- they are still thin, but now a wider arch with more optimal thyroid medication/ key thyroid vitamins

[helvella Administrator]

It is a sign rather than definitive proof. But I have never read of any other cause of losing the outer thirds.

People can lose all their eyebrows, or any other pattern, for various reasons. They can thin out. They can become thicker or thinner - the whole eyebrow or individual hairs. But it is a real challenge to find this with any other aetiology being mentioned/suspected.

[FallingInReverse]

Me too. They disappeared and now after optimizing my thyroid hormones are back!

You can probably search this forum for “eyebrow” or “outer third “ and find a bunch of posts like this. I’ve never seen it called Queen Anne’s.

True it’s probably not definitive, like enough for a diagnosis on its own… but it’s rampant among us underactive hypo people!

[traveltime]

Hey, look what it says on the NHS website under hypothyroid: (but it says unlikely because of course you'd be identified and treated before you get to this late stage). I'm missing my outer eyebrows, one Doctor suggested it was because I plucked them (?!? didn't know whether to laugh or cry), nothing to do with thyroid. Just realised I'm 6 for 6 on these late stage (well 5 1/2 as I'm only Iron deficient) symptoms too!

list of late stage hypothyroid symptoms

[tattybogle in reply to traveltime]

my face went puffy looking and with waxy looking lumpy bits around bridge of nose .even though i'd not put much weight on anywhere else

i had TSH / 5.7 / 6.8 .... TT4 still in range ie ' only' sub clinical hypo.

late stage hypo my ar$e

[traveltime in reply to tattybogle]

yeah, quite, I was trying to be polite/ironic haha. I'm back 'in range' again but when I found the NHS list years & years ago I thought it would help talking to the Drs. Er, no. The list now kind of makes me laugh, in a sad, hollow sort of way ...

[Bertwills]

It happened to me despite being treated for hypo for years & using T3. Another sign is loosing the half moons in your nails.