Hair Loss: Unwanted But Normal

Q:  I have had hypothyroidism for 46 years but I wasn't diagnosed until about 10 years ago.

From the beginning, my hair came out in clumps whenever I washed it. I was sent to see dermatologists, but to no avail. For the last 10 years, my doctor has prescribed Levoxyl (levothyroxine), but I still suffered with progressive hair loss on my scalp, and now it's very thin.

When my doctor checks my blood test results, he says it's normal. Can anything be done to prevent hair loss given my condition?

A:  If I had a nickel for every time a woman asked me about hair loss, I would be as rich as all the entrepreneurs selling those sham "hair growth" products. I certainly don't have the answer you're looking for, but let me tell you what I do know.

First, it is normal to lose 75 to 100 hairs a day. That is a lot of hair, and especially if it is long hair, it will look like a "clump."

Second, women lose hair with age just like men do: some women more than others, some women earlier than others. Women rarely go "bald" but their hair can get very thin. This is genetics and the most common cause of hair loss in women. In fact, half of women start losing hair before the age of 50 because of this process.

Last, there are conditions which cause abnormal hair loss, such as hypothyroidism, iron deficiency, and overproduction of testosterone, but these are rare causes and treating them allows for normal regrowth. More common would be stress-related causes like nervous hair pulling or a traumatic event. A sign of abnormal hair loss would be truly bald patches.

It sounds like you do have hypothyroidism, but probably for only the 10 years that you have been diagnosed. Your hair loss is, unfortunately, most likely due to your genetics.

Julie L. Mitchell, MD, MS, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She practices at the Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin General Internal Medicine Clinic - East. Her column appears in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.