I have been losing my hair since taking levothyroxine. What will make my hair grow back?
- Asked
- 5 Jan 2013 by crissywsm
- Updated
- 9 September 2020
- Topics
- levothyroxine
Answers (21)
Hi Crissy,
I think you have it backwards. Hypothyroidism causes hair loss and also thinning eyebrows!
The med should be helping to stabilize your thyroid and decrease the hair loss. I had huge hair loss before the med. and yes, it does grow back :))
Please let me know if I can help further.
4N Substances
HI 4substances, It does sound backwards,Ihad a full head of hair untill i was put on that.Itold the doc she said when my thyroid is regulated it will grow back. She raised my dosage and now even more hair loss.ive taken the higher dosage for 2yrs.The weird thing is i wasnt loosing my hair befor. do you know of anything that will help make it grow? i have bald spots now.thank you for getting back to me.
Wish I did! Let me know if you find something. I expected my Dr to have a suggestion, but no luck!
Nice visiting with you.
4N Substances
Respectfully, I have to disagree. I've been taking Levothyroxine for over 20 years. My hair has been falling out in clumps for the last year and getting progressively thinner over the last decade. I have NO eyebrows left.
A friend told me she stopped taking Levothyroxine, went to Armour and her hair started coming back. Sounded counterintuitive to me. BUT go to the side effects on Levothyroxine and hair loss is one of them, along with many other symptoms I have been experiencing and just thought I was going nuts. Needless to say, I'm ticked.
Respectfully, I have to disagree. I've been taking Levothyroxine for over 20 years. My hair has been falling out in clumps for the last year and getting progressively thinner over the last decade. I have NO eyebrows left.
A friend told me she stopped taking Levothyroxine, went to Armour and her hair started coming back. Sounded counterintuitive to me. BUT go to the side effects on Levothyroxine and hair loss is one of them, along with many other symptoms I have been experiencing and just thought I was going nuts. Needless to say, I'm ticked.
I have been "dealing" with hypothyroidism, for 3 yrs now. The doctor just put me on 150 mcg, over a month ago. My hair has been falling out in clumps since. I ALWAYS had thick long hair. I understand, it is not good to go off the medicine, but quite frankly, I see no difference in my "pep in my step", or any other positive qualities, therefore, I decided not to continue taking it... I think the medicine has not only made me put on weight, (20+ lbs) but Yes, I am losing hair ( & alot) daily...
Signed, Discouraged.
oh... p.s. What is Armour?
Hypothyroidism does cause hair loss, but do does levothyroxine... obviously in Some people. I'm one if them. It's important to remember, everyone is effected differently and doctors Should be advising their patients accordingly regarding this severe side effect.
Cat
I started to take Levo about 6 months ago. I did not go in complaining of symptoms, it was found on routine blood work. For the first month I was tired all the time and my muscles and joints were sore. Three months in,I started to loose my hair. It also got dry and brittle, started breaking off. 4 to 41/2 months in, I started get dark circles under my eyes and edema under my eyes and my eye lids. I stopped taking the drug, with another doctor's OK.
I was fine until I started to take this drug. My TSH was 6.8. If your TSH is under ten and you are not experiencing symptoms, don't start taking it. I am waiting to see if I will get back to normal now that I have stopped taking it.
Hi 4N! I began leva about six weeks ago. I believe I just got my dosage correct at 50 mcg. When will my hair loss, itchy scalp, and hair dryness stop? How long does it take to grow back?
I would like to say that my hair never fell out my whole life but as soon as I took thyroid medication my hair stated getting thin and falling out. Not before thyroid medication, not before thyroid medication, not before thyroid medication but after taking thyroid drugs. My thyroid was a little low the doctor said. I have stopped taking it altogether and my doctor knows. I just want to know when my hair is coming back.
So hard to know what to do. I hate it so much and it really has got to me this lady 18mths. Levels supposedly ok Since Nov but hairloss still continues, I've been 'waiting ' for so long now but im obviously one of the unlucky few that thyroxine makes it worse. Any positive stories so greatfully received but with hairloss if it continues long into treatment there seems v few and God I've searched. Even a top endo seemed to not have much experience if it and us sure there should be no side effects!!!
So hard to know what to do. I hate it so much and it really has got to me this lady 18mths. Levels supposedly ok Since Nov but hairloss still continues, I've been 'waiting ' for so long now but im obviously one of the unlucky few that thyroxine makes it worse. Any positive stories so greatfully received but with hairloss if it continues long into treatment there seems v few and God I've searched. Even a top endo seemed to not have much experience if it and us sure there should be no side effects!!!
yes i had the same problem after taking the medication. However, I am using Viviscal, Hair vitamin, and a lot of biotin. My hair is getting better.
It is well known that levothyroxine causes hair loss. I had hair thinning from my thyroid disease and was put on armour... thinning continued for a while when my endo changed it and put me on levothyroxine. then my hair started coming out in hands full... shetold me to be patient and increased my levo... then my hair was found on my pillow in the morning... all over myclothing... and when I pulled out a small rodent that was clogging my sink to only discover it was MY HAIR... I begged her to give me back my armour... she would not do it, so I went back to my naturalist and she placed me back on armour. WITHIN A WEEK MY HAIR STOPPED FALLING OUT IN LARGE AMOUNTS. I cannot answer whether or not the hair will grow back because it has not even been a month since returning to my armour... but I am happy... and hoping my bald spots might fill in. levothyroxine DOES, DOES CAUSE HAIR LOSS.
in researching the medicine, I have found dozens of women who are suffering great amounts of baldness since using that med. I am happy I went back to the natural dissected thyroid. levothyroxine is MAN MADE.
I have been taking levothyroxine for two months. I have lost a significant amount of hair. I know for a fact it's from the medicine. From what I just read about it, hair does not grow back. Very upsetting. I will research everything I take now and not trust the doctors
The meds made my hair fall out... she is right
I recently started losing my hair also Crissy. I haven't figured out exactly why, I am researching my medications now, but I was in the hospital this past September, so I'm guessing because I was so sick, now I'm suffering with hair loss because of all the stress I've gone through. However, since then, I was put on birth control pills to regulate my abnormal periods & I have found out that taking those causes hair loss.
Anyway, I wanted to respond to you because I went to a local beauty supply store here and the lady there recommended I use "Placenta" which is a leave in conditioner spray. I spray it on every time I get outta the shower and it seems to be helping me. Also, she recommended Castor Oil for hair growth and you can order that on Amazon. She said you apply it twice a week, it will turn your hair black, and then you wash it out.
She told me that her Mother suffers with hair loss and both of these products has helped her Mother's hair to start growing back in. You should give these products a try, really.
I know what you're going through, and it really can bring you down. At least it has gotten me down because I used to have a head full of thick, naturally curly hair.
Good luck to you & God bless!
I don’t have an under active or over active thyroid. I was put on Levothyroxine to see if it would decrease my goiter. My thyroid levels are normal. I have no new hair growth at all and the hair I do have is falling out. I’m being told it’s not the medicine but if my thyroid is normal and all my blood work shows everything is normal and I’m not stressed or have low iron. What else could it be aside from the Levothyroxine?
I was having hair falling out before the meds and losing eyebrows. After 3 months getting better but now I getting tints of green in my hair. And no not a swimmer. Now my water softener company say I need a new $800+unit for better water. Lived here for 20+yrs and never a problem. Just was wondering about the meds since that is the only new thing I have added.
The medication is not the cause, as was mentioned. The hair loss is no different than when one has a baby and months later there is a large hair loss for a period. This temporary condition is simply your hair follicles resting due to hormonal changes from the thyroid. Once you are stable they will all startup again. It may seem like a lot but it really isn't. It is just more than normal. (By the way, this happens a every seven or so years for everybody as part of the normal growth cycles of hair. You can do the math with your age just in case that is also part of it.)
I got a short hair cut and felt better about it. Remember that it is nothing to worry about. In the unlikely possibility of a bald spot, then talk to your doctor. That would be something else. Ok? Be well and give your body time to adjust. Write back as questions come up regarding thyroid. Karen
Hair loss is a documented side affect of Levothyroxin. I had no hair loss prior to taking this med and my thyroid level wasn't low enough to warrant the med. But I'm afraid to stop taking it altho it's a really low dose. It's been 3 months and if it doesn't level out soon, I won't have any hair left!
So what does your doctor say about it?
He said to give it time. I had a serious Lyme flare up and he thought the stress it placed on my body might have been the reason for the start of hair loss and doesn't think the Levo caused it. He prescribed the Levo as a gentle thyroid treatment to help my energy which flatlined with the flare up. It's so expensive to see this dr that I am going to wait till I am desperate to re-visit the hair loss.
I believe this medication is the cause..I went off of it for six months and had a full head of hair again... Unfortunately my thyroid level was dangerously low which can also increase your cholesterol and increase your sugar level so I am back on it... and losing my hair again... it is NOT normal to lose a handful of hair every time you shower!!! The normal person who loses hair does not have bald areas... Sorry, but I had a short haircut also and that doesn't help hide the bald areas on the top of your head..I don't know the answer and would never tell anyone to stop their thyroid medicine because it is dangerous to do so... but there has to be an answer out there to stop the this side effect.
The answer is the Lymes disease. That is an important fact, there is also hereditary hair loss in women. Stress causes hair loss. Almost killing oneself by stopping a life saving hormone for the sake of vanity is mighty extreme, I usually don't judge but no head of hair is worth being dead. And finally there is the psychological condition that causes hair loss by the very sake of continuously worrying about it. Get the hormones straight. See a good endocrinologist and have all of your hormones checked. Male and female levels. There are also rare diseases that this is a symptom. Shock to the psyche or the body extremely I'll takes many months to recover. Hair is part of that.
I was in my 3rd month of Levothyroxine when I lost almost half of my hair. I'm off in now, my first week and I'm hoping my hair will grow back. I've also been doing research on ways to balance my thyroid and other hormones naturally. Exercise, diet and stress management are very important in doing this. I'm excited about seeing how this lifestyle change will effect my thyroid. .
Cat
I am on the med have been for a year now I am balding badly, haven't lost any of the Eight I had gained please y'all help is there a different med I can use or get it removed
I too have noticed a massive amount of hair loss since taking the medication.
It is such a huge concern. My thyroid level has stabilized so my doctor has suggested I stopped taking the meds. Ive been off it a week now.
Im hoping to see a decrease in hairloss
I agree. My hypothyroidism was found on routine blood work. I did not have symptoms until i started taking the drug. Now my skin is really dry and my hair is falling out.my TSH was 6. I've the endocrinological (SP?) society does not recommend meds until it hits 10?
actually the medication can cause hair loss, weight gain and puffy eyes. i was on methimazole and atenolol and had . puffy eyes ,weight gain, hair loss [extreme] when my thyroid levels went down too far i was removed from the medications. my hair stopped falling out. my dark circles lightenend and the puffy eyes went away. when i started taking the meds again all the symptoms came back worse than before. actually a lot of studies show now that these medications can cause those side effects. so ya it can be the meds. i know first hand
I've was given 25mg of Levothyroxine once a day. In the four months I've been taking it I now have bald patches and very thinning hair my bath tub gets blocked with the clumps of hair I loose! I have gained weight and now I'm panicking. I googled "can Levothyroxine cause hair loss" and it bought me to this site and I'm so glad it did because reading all the comments from other people with hair loss and weight gain and it's all leading back to these pills !!
I'm coming off these pills straight away !
Thank you to everyone who has posted their experiences - hair loss can be very embarrassing and knocks our confidence considerably. Xx
I know for a fact thyroid medication will cause hair loss with many people. If you are not one of the people it causes hair loss with then you're lucky. My ear nose and throat specialist saw me for something and he told me that he could put me on thyroid medication. He said i didnt really need it but it would make me feel better. So he put me on it and in a matter of months i started losing my hair and itching all over constantly. I went back to him... he said he never heard of that. I have a few bald spots on top of my head. I don't know if it will grow back. I stopped taking the medication months ago. I had no hair loss problems prior to taking thyroid medication. I don't take any medications and I stay far away from doctors.
yes, it is true that thyroid disease will cause hair loss, but it is also true that levothyroxine and some other drugs DO cause hair loss. I lost some hair due to thyroid disease... thinning... but when I went OFF the armour (natural thyroid from pigs) and went ON the levothyroxine, my hair started coming off in GOBS. My hand would be filled with huge amounts of long strands of my hair. washing my hair was a nightmare ... when I had to use a rooter to get the sink unclogged, at first I thought I had discovered a small animal... but that hair was a huge ball that had once lived on MY head! After bald spots and lots of grief, I went back to the armour two years later, and after a week, my hair STOPPED coming out in huge amounts. I am still hoping the bald spots will grow back... but at least I am no longer losing my hair in large amounts. so levo DOES cause hair loss. also, when I went online and did research,I DID find that it is fact...
I'm sorry to say but I've been on TV thyroid meds since 2000 a mb d will be for t by e reset if my life. The hair loss from thyroid meds is not temporary.
I'm sorry to say but I've been on thyroid meds since 2000 and I will be for the rest of my life. The hair loss from thyroid meds is not temporary. Also I have hyperthyroidism not hupothyroidism. I'm at a loss because I don't know what to do. Tried vitamins, liquid iron, nothing works.
The first side effect listed for levothyroxine is temporary hair loss. If the hair loss persists more than a few months after the start of treatment, you should discuss this with your doctor.
I never had any hair loss ever like I do now. My thyroid level was slightly lower. The doctor started me on Armour. I have always had very thick dense hair. After starting on Armour my hair is diminishing by falling out and thinning rapidly. I don't know if it will stop. I'm going off of it. I'm not up for taking something that could make me bald. The medication makes me Itch all over and break out in blisters. The doctor acts like it's no big deal. I'm not going to subject myself to something I didn't experience prior to Armour.
Where did your blisters form at?
You might be reacting to the fillers in the meds. I did and I had to have combine meds made without fillers.
Try ACE vitamins from the supermarket. My daughter uses them and after a few weeks her hair was thicker and her eyes looked brighter and she was smiling more. :-)
Are they multi vitamins and was she on Armour thyroid medication and loosing her hair?
I agree with you i am going through the same thing now!!! He raised my dose to 75 and my hair is dropping off it seems i cant brush it everytime i wash it its all over the tub. When my dose was 50 2 months ago this was not happening i thought i was going crazy!! Im happy to know i am not paranoid this is really happening.
Perhaps 75mgs is too much. Go back to 50mgs and see how you feel. Do you know your last tsh and t4 and t3 results? If not ask for them.
I've been on levothyroxine about 5 years now. At first I lost a lot of hair to a scary level when I took this drug but now I still lose more than I did pre drug (when I wash my hair tons falls out) but it has settled down a bit. I used to think I would go bald but so far I still have enough hair. But it is dry now. Not the big hair I had before Levo. A bit sad but at least I got my brain back ( forgetting my own phone number) and the painful leg cramps and all the other horrible hypothyroid symptoms like crying nearly every day, regurgitating undigested food I'd just eaten, strange little sparkly pains in my chest at night, not being able to hold a social conversation as I could not think what to say fast enough, anxiety..my tongue seemed to be fat I couldn't pronounce some words properly like "Elizabeth". I take thin hair over all those symptoms any day
I was sad to read this as ongoing Hairloss is so upsetting for my and my levels on levothyroxine are ok now on 125, since Nov. Did you Hairloss improve quite a bit or is it ongoing and does your Hair keep getting thinner? Sorry to ask but I've been looking for ideas and possible future predictions since it all stated 18 mtgs ago
My hair is certainly drier 5 years on. However I have less hair loss than I did. So with time the hair loss has slowed down a lot. But definitely it only started falling out when I started the Levo. What it did do a year or so before I started Levo was dry out and go wavy. So I think in time hair settles down. ! At least in my case. Now I have a full head of hair. But it is less thick. I have no bald patches. I take Vit D and magnesium. Keep an eye on ferritin/iron levels and b12. It all comes together I suppose. GP's try to play it all down
Thank you so much for answering it sounds positive and I really appreciate it. So pleased for you xx
Hi Renni, you're the first person I've seen that has had wavy hair growing. I had naturally straight, thick hair, lots of it. I don't know when I actually got hypo but Dec 2016 my TSH was 6.2. I also have perimenopause but I'm on HRT plus Synthryoid. My hair doesn't stop falling and my TSH is down to 1.7. I'm devasted about the hair loss and it's wavy hair that I have. I see that you said it stopped and that you've grown back your hair. After countless # of docs, I'm getting mixed messages. Will my hair grow back? What did you end up taking? Synthyroid or Armour?
About Levo, my hair is dryer, breaking off and thinner and I've been on it for about 2.5 years. I think my Doc has me on a dosage that's too strong. Going for more blood tests to find out. But I will say I lost the 30 lbs I gained within a year after taking Levo, so that is the Good part. Can always buy a wig but you can't really hide 30 pounds...
I’m on levothyroxine 100mcg nightly . My hair is thinner but I stopped crying and got my mind back once I had been on it for a few weeks so it is worth having thinner hair for. Now I don’t forget my own phone number :)
Totally agree. I did shed some hair but not loads but hair before treatment was thick and wiry and unmanageable and a bit of balding on the top. Now it is softer shinier and more manageable and bald spot on top has gone. This is three years down the line. So stick with it. Things will get better. I used headbands a lot in transitional period as never seemed to be able to do anything with my hair.
I have the same problem, I have been in the medication for more than 15; however, before my hair was strong. It never have been the same after the medication.
Hair loss is an extremely rare side effect of thyroid supplementation... less than 000.1% of all users suffer this idiosyncratic reaction.
This is so frustrating for us. I have this same thing happen to me, when I say something, and my provider blankly repeats that oh, no, i have it backwards, my hair is getting thicker. I was doing ok with 25mcg instead of the 125, and am raising it very, very gradually, an extra 25mcg per week, ove a 6 month period. My new hairdresser of a year has asked me what happened to my hair. I would not bother, but it affects my bad cholesterol levels. Now tell me that my cholesterol level is not affected by my thyroid level. Also, why don't you google and see how many pages of people are asking about this hair loss from their thyroid medicine.
I've only been taking this medication for 6 weeks and my hair loss is terrible even my hair dresser looked worried . Not sure if to carry on taking it or carry on and hope it stops falling out
Please keep taking the medicine of your doctor prescribed it with valid reasons. I know how soul destroying it is when hairdressers look concerned at hair loss and hair thinning. But the issues the drug addresses must be addressed. Hair being crappy is a price I had to pay. In time it will never be perfect again probably but it will probably calm down. I am not bald. My hair is not that bad a few years on. Yes it is dry but I don’t have bald patches. But I know it is very upsetting so send you strength and courage to keep on with the medicine. X
Nicsriver gave a very accurate answer. Lack of thyroid hormone can affect your entire metabolism very dramatically and although the hair loss issue may be traumatic to some it is a cosmetic rather than health issue. Be sure your doctor is aware of your concerns (this is a rare enough side effect that many doctors AREN'T aware of it) because you may need blood tests to determine if you're over or undermedicated or whether a different type of thyroid supplementation should be used.
I've been taking levothyroxine 50mg for over five years and my long, straight blonde hair is now shoulder length and curly ~ borderline frizzy. I can live with hat.
Best regards and good luck!
... I can live with *THAT* , not a hat! :-)
Hat
Geez! What am I... asleep? I should have given credit to RENNI for her answer!
Hat made me laugh thank you !
Although I did not have obvious symptoms for hypo and my doctor disclosed this to me during my annual physical. He put me on Levothyroxine 25 MCG. I did not notice any side effect on my hair for the first 3 months, however after using it for 5-6 months, not only I have bald spots my full set of hair reduced to almost bald from the middle (very odd bald). I got panicked and stop taking Levothyroxine without talking to my doctor. Actually I was initially upset with my doctor that he did not tell me the side effects. I thought if this is temporary side effect of the medication than if I stop taking the medication, my hair will grow back. It has been 2 months, I have stopped taking the medication, yet to see my hair to grow back. BTW I have not noticed any -ve impact on my health so far due to stopping the Levothyroxine. Not sure what should I do now to grow hair, start the medication back, change the dosage, any advise, suggestions ? Best regards
Hi Crissywsm: Being a long time hypothyroid patient myself, I have two suggestions to offer. Just my two cents:
You could talk to your doctor about switching to a natural desiccated thyroid medication called Nature-Throid. I have taken it for years and had much better results with it than I had with levothyroxine. Just switching to Nature-Throid made a tremendous difference in how I felt and my hair and scalp problems lessened greatly.
Many medications can cause our hair to thin out, such as antidepressants, antibiotics, blood pressure meds, etc., for some people. Please let your doctor adjust your dose. Sometimes it takes several trips to the doctor and several times of checking your TSH levels to get the correct dosage for you personally.
I like to read the books written by Mary Shomon who is a thyroid patient. She also has a website where she puts updated information about natural supplements and
foods that can increase the efficacy of your thyroid meds to get the most relief from hypothyroidism. She recommends evening primrose oil. I took it and it successfully made my hair come in thicker and shinier. It is also stronger. It did wonders for my hair. My scalp feels much healthier from taking it also.
My hair started thinning when I was in my 30's due to my Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.
It is much healthier now with using Nature-Throid and taking evening primrose oil soft gels. Hope this helps!
Oops! That comment was meant to be directed at Nicsriver and Renni. Sorry...
Thanks I will try evening primrose oil. I remember years ago at a breast clinic they recommended that. I tend to buy it then leave it in drawer until it expires :) better try actually taking the stuff ! I recently started vitamin d ( you take one pill every two weeks).
Hi, I Started levothyroxine in June 2017 my hair was long and thick. It's now falling out rapidly and thinning, I take vitamin D and iron daily, Please let me know if I can do anything else to stop this process from continuing. It controls my daily life stressed out, Etc,
Hi char:
Here is a tip to help your hair to grow back in and to make your scalp healthy and strong - Evening Primrose Oil...
I got this information from the Mary Shomon website. She gives lots of information to people who have hypothyroidism, which is one main cause of hair loss, amongst many others. I started taking EPO after reading her blog, and my hair all grew back in thicker and my scalp feels much healthier. She recommended the Source Naturals brand, 1350 mg softgel capsules. It really has helped me with this problem.
I'm posting this response in hope to help someone else with the same problem. I had initial hair loss on this medication. It lasted for 3 months. During that time i learned that low Ferritin is very common in hypothyroid patients. Ferritin is sort of like iron storage in our body. Iron on another hand is #1 reason for hair loss in women. So about 2-3 weeks ago I started taking ferritin supplement. Not sure if supplement worked or i got adjusted to the medication, but that abnormal hair loss stopped in last week or so. I hope it stays this way.
I was just prescribed Levothyroxine and am very concerned about the hair loss side effect. Can someone recommend an all natural alternative to this medication without a hair loss side effect.
Gratefully,
Dino
Hi there! When I was first diagnosed with hypothyroidism back in Feb of 2017, I was prescribed Nature Throid (50 mcg). I did well on that medication for a 1 yr. I did not experience any side effects. My hair did not fall out nor was it dry. Nature Throid ran out and has been on back order, since then my doctor put me on Levothyroxine 50 mcgs. I've had so much hair fall out in the last 4 months, its been so scary! My doctor did ask me to try Rogaine for women and 1000 mg of Biotene. It's been a month on both options but still my hair is falling in crazy amounts.
Actually the meds do cause hair loss..after starting levothyroxine I lost my hair on my head the entire left side... turns out the dye in the purple pill.75 some people are allergic
I been losing my hair it been looking thin.
Further Information
- Levothyroxine Information for Consumers
- Levothyroxine Information for Healthcare Professionals (includes dosage details)
- Side Effects of Levothyroxine (detailed)
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