The types of physical situations that can cause hair loss (alopecia) include hormonal changes, nutritional deficiencies, a variety of medications, surgery, and many medical conditions, in particular, thyroid disease.
Hair loss is actually fairly common. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, nearly half of all adults in the U.S. will experience thinning hair by age 40. But thyroid patients in particular may experience hair loss earlier and more quickly than usual.
Normally, hair grows about a half inch a month for about three years, and then it goes into a resting period. One in ten hairs is in a resting period at any one time, and after about three months a new hair pushes the old one out. When more hairs go into resting period, or the conversion process speeds up, the balance becomes disrupted, and hair loss occurs.
Hormonally induced hair loss takes place when an enzyme starts to convert the hormone testosterone on the scalp to its less useful version, dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. DHT then attacks the hair follicle, and shrinks it, even making it disappear entirely. Hair becomes thinner and finer, and may stop growing entirely. This conversion of testosterone to DHT seems to be sped up in some patients with hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, and may be the cause of hair loss that continues for thyroid patients, despite what is considered sufficient thyroid treatment.
Some people actually complain that rapid hair loss is the worst symptom of their thyroid problem - the thinning hair, large amounts of hair falling out in the shower or sink, often accompanied by changes in the hair's texture, making it dry, coarse, or easily tangled.
While thyroid disease frequently causes general hair loss from the hair on the head, a unique and characteristic symptom of hypothyroidism is loss of the hair on the outer edge of the eyebrows. General loss of body hair from areas other than the head can also be seen in thyroid disease.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by boggen hey. doing a little research for my uncle that is dum as a box of rocks on the computer let alone the internet.
over the last 2 months he had full head of hair, then gray hair, then white hair, then no hair. it just all falls out. he has a couple patchs (beard). but thats about it.
he told me he has blood work off at some place to look into possible thyroid problems. i was wondering any key terms i might be able to look up. For complete body hair loss.
he hasn't gotten the greatest doctor faith. with them saying no clue and scratching there heads at them in what could be wrong or what not.
he is already seen a doctor for the problem he just wants to read up on possible problems and become a bit more aware of what could be possible problems / what is causing this.
(edit)
guess it might help knowing his age is 50 or some were close to that. |
