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Male Pattern Baldness Vs Thryoid/Iron deficient?

Sorry, please take a minute to look at this... to start off I've always had a really high hairline at the temples, (and might have matured a little around puberty) so that's not the issue if you can check these pics out a second.
The issue is the density, as I found the top to be thinning out in my teens, then I was diagnosed Hypo and began Synthroid, and I think it stopped, but still remained rather thin.

This first photo is only a few months after being taken off Synthroid and put on Desiccated (so possibly not long enough to help hair), so change possibly caused different hair texture/thinning. Hair looks thin/raspy on top.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/706/hairthinning.jpg/



While seeing another doctor at the university campus she said my iron was low, so put me on 300mg of Iron, along with the Thyroid now likely built up in system... this is 3-4 months after iron, 6 after natural thyroid
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/26/hairfull.jpg/

I dropped out of university soon after, returned home... original doctor said my levels were off and questioned my need for iron, so took me off both... back on Synthroid. The first picture is a year later, hair flat & dry, the second pics a year after that (2 weeks ago, when I shaved my head).
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/221/hairthinnntrmmpnhg.jpg/

I shaved it down to a nub a few weeks ago, and so it's really obvious now.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/196/img0555j.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/803/img0492rtrtr.jpg/


My barber says it hasn't changed since I've been back on Synthroid (2 years), but I feel it was thicker on natural thyroid/iron before I started seeing him, so he wouldn't know that.

I'm now in the process of changing back to natural, and getting my iron checked again... I have a lot of stress, obsessive, depressed, tired, anxiety in morning, hot flashes at night, feel restless at night, can't concentrate, stuffy nose in morning, oily pale dry skin, acne, and have to pee a lot.

Can you tell the difference between MPB and thyroid/iron hair loss - can you tell by pics? If it's not MPB, would it make sense that it restores within 6 months (like i think it did before?) now that I started Natural and iron again. If it is MPB, I'll just shave my head, it's a decent shape anyways.
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Avatar universal
I think Stella may have been referring to testosterone.

In general most people seem to feel symptom relief when the Free T4 are about mid range.  and the Free T3's are in the upper 1/3.  And yours are both about exactly at that point.

That is not to say that you are still not a bit Hypo.  As each individual needs something a little different.  You might want to try a touch bigger dosage but it depends upon the other symptoms you are having besides hair loss.

Loss of the outter 1/3 of eyebrows is one of the classic symptoms of being Hypo.  Along with stiff, brittle hair and hair loss.  However with your blood work, I'd be surprised that hair loss would be the major issue or cause from being Hypo.  But everyone is different.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Got test results today... only switched to Dessicated/compounded a month ago, ERFA Thyroid over a week ago.

-THYROTROPIN/SENSITIVE TSH 1.12/0.35-5.00 (was 1.41 a few days before at hospital clinic)
-FREE THYROXINE (T4) 16/9-23
-FREE TRIIODOTHYRONINE 5.3/3.5-6.5
-ANTI-TPO 20/ 50/>12.2
-RBC FOLATE 1641/>OR=634
-GLUCOSE-FASTING 5.0/3.6-6.0
-SODIUM 140/135-147
-POTASSIUM 4.5/3.5-5.5
-MAGNESIUM 0.82/0.70-1.00
-CORTISOL 355 (at 3:30PM)
-IONIZED CALCIUM (iCA) ph=7.38, iCA=1.30

Daily temperature usually around 98.00, maybe lower (around 97.5 sometimes)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'll receive them back next week and post them...

My eyebrow hair also comes out easily, the outer third looks thinner than the inner part (maybe that's normal for some though).

Checked temp usually averages 98 these past few days, 98.4 today at 3pm, I feel a little better now, I think the thyroid is kicking in. Just hope my hair grows back
Helpful - 0
393685 tn?1425812522
Are you're other hormone levels being tested? The hypothyroidism if not held at an optimal level can have a direct effect on other major hormone levels and a saliva test or even blood draw if desperate can tell if those levels are off also.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hehe, asked the question on a Hairloss board a person commented it looked like their MPB, while on thyroid boards they say it's likely thyroid... I guess a hairloss board wouldn't have too much experience with thyroid issues.

Anywho, if it is MPB, can shave, but I guess I should monitor it for a bit and ask a doctor/naturopath.dermatologist their experiences. Causing a lot of stress, so might shave it for a while anyways then let it grow out a bit in 6 months and see how it looks (or keep it shaved).
Helpful - 0
1729442 tn?1310001692
Can't tell by just looking at it, but if you noticed fuller hair when you switched, I'd place my bets on hypo.

You might be taking too little. Make sure your morning temps (before sitting up in bed) are at least 97.8 and daytime temps are around 98.6. Your pulses should be between 75-85. If you're lower than that, you might need to increase it little by little til your temps come up.  Also people have better results if they spread out their dose throughout the day, even if it's the same total amount.  

Something that might help immediately is taking coconut oil (2-4tbsp/day) and having some sugar together with protein/fat - for example, a glass of milk with some sugar (especially before bed), fruit with a piece of cheese, or a boiled egg and some OJ. Slower metabolism often needs more instant fuel in the short term.

If you try any of this, let me know how it goes.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well, only one uncle out of several are bald, no one else in family is, father full head, I'm on a non-filler (ERFA Thyroid).

Is it hard to tell by just looking at the scalp what type of baldness it is?

I think it was like this before, but not shaved down so I didn't notice as much... but I remember a different texture and problems with acne. Then, jugging by old pictures -it came back fuller on iron and desiccated thyroid, then thin again on synthroid.

Right now I feel like crap - I switch a few weeks ago and it might take another 2 to kick in some people tell me.
Helpful - 0
1729442 tn?1310001692
Hair loss is a symptom of hypothyroidism.  Being that your hair started thinning in your teens, I would lean more towards the hypo rather than the MPB, though it's possible to have both.

Do you feel better on Armour?  They say the fillers make it hard for the hormone to be absorbed, but generally speaking, people tend to respond better to dessicated thyroid.

One thing to be careful about is taking iron and having it build up too high in your system. It's a problem that men particularly tend to have. Taking vit C helps absorption of iron. I eat red meat and liver a few times a week for my low iron, and I drink some OJ with it to help absorption.
Helpful - 0
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