Changes in the texture and color of the skin, but also in the growth of hair and nails can be the first sign that your thyroid is not functioning properly, but you have developed hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
For experts this is to be expected, given the role that the thyroid plays in skin development and health.
"Thyroid hormones play an important role in skin development during fetal life", says dermatologist-venereologist Christos Stamou. "The same goes for maintaining the normal function of adult skin. When their levels deviate from normal, affects all the organs of the body and includes the skin ".
It has been found that the hormones produced by the thyroid affect each layer of the skin after:
- They stimulate the consumption of oxygen by the skin cells
- They regulate protein synthesis, mitosis and determination of skin thickness
- They are essential for initiating and maintaining hair growth
- It is necessary for the normal secretion of sebum (the fat on the skin)
Hypothyroidism
Depending on the condition of the thyroid gland, different symptoms may develop. The most common thyroid disease is hypothyroidism. According to him the skin becomes:
- Dry
- Pale
- Minute, thin
- Cold
The coldness is due to the reduced resistance of the body to low temperatures. Cold intolerance causes the blood vessels in the skin to constrict, to transport blood to vital organs deep inside the body. Paleness "due to the abnormal content of the skin in mucopolysaccharide and water", says Mr.. Στάμου.
Extremely dry skin is very common. It shows a percentage of up to 59% of patients with hypothyroidism. It may be due to reduced secretory function (sweat makers) glands. In very severe cases of hypothyroidism, patients may stop sweating. This can lead:
- Either in cornea (thickening of the skin) and dryness of the palms and soles
- Either in eczema craquelé (the skin has too many small cracks, like crackle glass).
In addition, Patients' palms and soles may show a yellowish discoloration. The cause is the increased levels of carotenoids in the blood plasma (the situation is called secondary carotenemia).
The wounds, the hairs and nails
Another effect of hypothyroidism on the skin is the tendency to slow down wound healing. Delay depends on the patient's hormone levels.
Hypothyroidism can also cause loss of the outer third of the eyebrows (the situation is called mating - Madarosis). It can even lead to a reduced number of brittle hairs on the body. In such a case the hairs have a rough texture, due to limited sebum secretion. Pubic and axillary hairs can also be sparse.
"Hypothyroidism has been shown to be directly involved in the hair growth cycle", emphasizes Mr.. Στάμου. "It slows down its growth and can cause alopecia".
Hypothyroidism can also affect the nails, causing:
- Deformities in their shape and color (fragile and thin that peel and / or have streaks)
- Problems in their attachment to the riverbed (base) their.
Hyperthyroidism
Respectively, in hyperthyroidism the skin is smooth, soft, minute, thin, hot and humid. The skin is thin and sufficiently hydrated. Increased blood flow to the skin sometimes causes redness on the face, in the elbows and palms.
Patients often experience teleangiectasia (dilation of capillaries). They also often have excessive sweating, mainly on the soles and palms. An indication of hyperthyroidism may be hyperpigmentation (intense colour), mainly on the skin:
- In the hands
- On the feet below the ankles
- In the mouth
Hyperthyroidism can also be attributed to appearance of soft reddish-brown nodules, mainly in parts of the body such as:
- The shins
- The calves
- Legs below the ankle
Hyperthyroidism may still be responsible for hair problems such as:
- The early appearance of discoloration (graying)
- The great thinning of the hair
People with hyperthyroidism may also develop onycholysis (Plummer nails). According to her, the nails are separated peripherally from the nail bed.
Hashimoto and Grave’s
Hashimoto's thyroiditis causes skin problems similar to those of hypothyroidism. However, it has an autoimmune etiology, similar to Grave’s disease, a common cause of hyperthyroidism. Due to the common etiology of the two diseases, cause similar manifestations on the skin, As the proximal myxedema.
Procranial myxedema is a usually painless reddish thickening of the skin in front of the tibia.. It can also appear on other parts of the skin, such as:
- In the hands
- The shoulders
- The neck
- The back
"Chronic urticaria and blistering disorders have a special place in the list of autoimmune skin diseases", points out Mr.. Στάμου. "The same goes for vitiligo, which (such as gyroid alopecia) preceded by thyroid dysfunction. Therefore, in the investigation of specific diseases, the presence of elevated thyroid antibodies should be checked., even if thyroid hormone levels are normal. This is necessary to find the cause of the skin disease and to cure it ".
Source: iatropedia.gr
