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Fat Thigh-Roid Woes: Hairy Legs, Bald Head
I used to have super long and curly hair back in the day. When I was younger, I paired it with a bitchin’ blazer sporting confident shoulder pads, and would take sexy pictures with my hair over my shoulder. Complete with untouched, not-so-much-envy-producing carpeted eyebrows. I used to whine about “damn, I have too much hair, it’s too hot” and now – I could slap myself for even entertaining that thought. I started to love my hair in my later years, after high school, and just as soon as I accepted my tresses with open arms – they were taken from me.
Thanks to Graves, my hair became sparse and Ben Franklin-ish. I tried to keep it long and the curls became wilted has-beens, their time up and ready to be snipped. Didn’t matter if I used every humidity defying product on the market, a diffuser, and tears – they just didn’t want to do anything but split, dry, and clog my sink and shower. I tried in vain to hold onto them, but what was the point?
I’ve always been adventurous when it came to my hair, and getting a cut wasn’t a big deal. I even let a drunk friend once chop it off to my shoulders at a party, and it didn’t come out bad at all. I figured, it’ll all grow back and in the meantime I have something new to play with!
Well, this time around I wasn’t so sure it was going to grow back, and I was in tears daily about the loss of hair at 30 years of age. It came out in clumps, and I tried to hide the bald spots – but when the wind decided to do what it does best…which is blow…it was no use. I had many visions of going full force with it. Shaving half my head while laughing psychotically, standing on top of a tower like a madwoman OR rockin’ the Natalie Portman “V for Vendetta” thing – but alas, my features are way too strong to pull off that look. Also, I was STILL having to wax my bushy brows, and pluck random, unrelenting strays from my body. Why couldn’t those assholes go too??? Graves is a cruel and twisted bitch.
I gave in, held my head high, and decided on a pixie cut – and was pleasantly surprised. I did get a lot of comments though, “why did you do that??” and “younger women should have long hair” and “holy shit, when did you come out of the closet??”
I spent my high school years wearing bigger clothes to cover my huge ass, thighs and belly. Not for the purpose of announcing that I was a lesbian, but only cause my mom convinced me baggier clothes fool people into thinking you’re smaller than you are…. “It covers your butt and no one knows how big it is.” Mmm ok. I got over that logic by mid-college. I denied being gay, but people didn’t believe me. Combine that with my aggressive personality, and the L was branded onto my XXL Hanes shirt by the 10th grade.
Well now, sporting my new ‘do – I’ve just “confirmed” long held beliefs. Whatever though, adding fuel to the gay fire was really the least of my concerns – I wasn’t in a position to date anyone at this point, so it didn’t really matter. The haircut kinda demanded that I wear more makeup though. I kept my hair at that length for about a year, and just recently it’s started to grow out into an awkward mullet. I don’t give a shit anymore. I’ve learned to let go of the vanity, and just DEAL. The most unexpected part of the whole experience was, I shed more tears before the cut. Once I embraced the pixie, and learned to work with it – I felt a lot better about my looks.
It’s almost like letting go of it let me focus on the more important stuff – my health. Also, it sounds a bit cliche, but you know how we crave haircuts when a change in our life needs to be made? Duh, everyone remembers Felicity. I’m watching my new virgin hair come in, 6 months after RAI, and it’s a color I haven’t seen in years. My natural plus some gray on the temples, and I’m enjoying the story it tells. It’s telling me about my past experience (hey, grays!) and also starting on with the new. It FEELS healthier now, and I refuse to color it. Maybe I’ll change my mind in the future, but right now it’s about my health and my hair is just along for the ride. I stand in front of my mirror, smiling like a jackass, and holding my new locks. It’s a reminder of the battle that has almost been won – also, why have I been hiding my natural color for so long? I love it!
I know a lot of you out there are dealing with hair loss due to Graves – so I’m curious to know how you’re coping with it. Has it been a major concern, or more on the back burner when dealing with so many other shitty symptoms?
Tags: bald head, Dear Thyroid columns, dry hair, Fat Thigh Roid Woes, Fat thigh-roid Woes written by Nicole Wells, Graves disease column, graves' disease, hair loss, hairloss, hairy legs, how do you deal with hair loss, how does hair loss emotionally affect you, hyperthyroidism, split-ends, thyroid related hair issues
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42 Responses to “Fat Thigh-Roid Woes: Hairy Legs, Bald Head”
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My husband will often recomend I call the Dr when he has to clear the drain in the shower every day. I was overjoyed when I went to get my hair cut in March and was told that I had a ton of new growth. But alas I am back to loosing it again. The worse is trying to figure out if that is a symptom or side effect.
Hi Erica,
I’m sorry you’re going through this, and the same thing happened to me. I kept getting these little hairs standing up, taunting me, then they’d be back to going down the drain. Our hair tells us how healthy we are, and no matter if I ate healthy or not – my thyroid jacked everything up. I did manage to stop some hair from falling out by taking hair vitamins, so you might want to look into that. I know that the whole supplement issue is kind of controversial, so depending on what your doctor and your own research suggests – it’s worth looking into. Hopefully, you have a great doc monitoring your condition. Good luck!
I stand in the shower and cry every time I wash my long, curly hair. It’s coming out in clumps now – for about 2 months. The texture has changed. I have no diagnosis yet, am still waiting on antibody test results. I’ve taken to wearing it up in a claw every day, but I still find hair everywhere I look.
The irony is that I’ve always worn my hair short up until 3 years ago, when my husband convinced me to grow it. I thought it was too thick, too curly, too heavy. Now that it’s finally long and I’ve finally got it to a point that I like it, this happens.
I just want answers. Every shower reminds me that something is wrong and I don’t know what. I don’t know if I should just cut it all off or wait it out. I hate seeing hair everywhere, reminding me that my body is failing me.
Thank you so much for sharing this! Thyroid fuckery, lupus and chemo also make your hair fall out – so we are SISTERS in this!!! I’ve often just clipped my hair up for weeks at a time and forgotten to even wash it… then realized how “gross” I am. AND YES — I’M HAIRY ALL OVER.
Chin hair, brow hair, leg hair!!! I’m SO GLAD you’ve discussed this HAIRY ISSUE!!! It is so REAL and so powerful to think about how hair has us all by the… “short hairs”… it makes us feel so beautiful or so ugly when we want to BE PRETTY.
And it DOES tell our story! Thank you for telling yours. And sharing. And helping us all heal a little… as our hair loss continues and does NOT do what we want it to do… thank you for being part of our collective experiences.
xx
Melissa
Hi Cetta,
I’m so sorry girl, I fully get the crying in the shower thing. Every time I cried it felt so cliche, straight outta a movie. Me pressing my hands up against the tile, water running over my face. Ugh.
Whatever the diagnosis is, we’re here for you! I know sometimes it seems like the hair will never come back, but it will. Give it time and patience, and if you think you might have to cut it – then so be it. Once we get our health in check, everything can sort itself out. Take care and have a great weekend.
Melissa – hahaa, I know, even my “short hairs” were growing. Such a cruel joke! Thanks for the support girl!
It’s funny that the one symptom I’m able to talk about with some understanding to healthy people, is the baldness issue. Every girl I know can feel the fear when I share my story. I mean, no one understands my whole Graves eye sitch, unless they feel it, but the hair?? NIGHTMARE.
The good news is there is actually a word (2, actually) for what all us ladies are going through with the hair exodus. In fact, ironically, it has always been one of my favorite sounding conditions: telogen effluvium (TEE-low-gin ee-FLU-vee-um). That makes it sound romantic, doesn’t it? It almost takes the sting out of designing our comb-overs! (OK, not even close…)
This is a really nice web article on it..
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1071566-overview
Nicoleo;
I am so sorry that you lost your hair. Love the Pixie ‘do’. Seeing clumps of beautiful tresses circling the drain is a lot like the heights of this viola disease.
Fabulous installation as always! YOU ROCKED IT, BABY.
Loving this column soooo much, baby.
xo
While I do not have graves, I do have hashimotos and that isn’t always so kind to my hair. Usually, when women get pregnant they experience hair growth. And looks so shinny and healthy. Well, not mine. It breaks off all over the place. And, I do see some going down the drain. Cleaning out my hairbrush daily… So annoying! If it is like this during pregnancy maybe post-partum it will grow like mad! Hey, one can hope!
Robyn, I had NO IDEA this name existed. Thanks for this info, it does make it sound a bit more exotic and romantic…Makes me wanna light some candles, lay down and…burn my useless brush.
Katie – Thanks sista! I made sure to wear a pink bow with my pixie so peeps knew I was a girl.
I can deal with any other symptom…..but not the hair loss. My once long , thick, shiny, healthy hair, has turned into a thin, frizzy, dry, dull, tangled mess. I have become a recluse, and suffer from severe depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. Showers make me cry for hours, and i can’t even brush my hair anymore because i get so upset. I can’t even look in a mirror anymore because I feel like a freak. I won’t let anybody see me because i’m so horribly embarrassed by what has happened to me. Most people don’t understand what losing your hair does to a women. I hope every night i go to sleep, to not wake up the next day, so i don’t have to live like this another day. I’ve had no new growth in 2 years, so i now know it will never come back. I will hide in my house until the day i die. It’s just not fair 🙁
Amy – My mom has Hashimoto’s, and she did lose a lot of hair – she keeps hers short now just to not deal. I’m sorry you’re not getting the full hair during pregnancy, but I will keep my fingers crossed that post-partum will bring you a full and bouncy head of hair! Let’s live the dream!
Btw, how recent has the hair loss been for you?
Oh, Debra! I am sorry that you are feeling like this! These are real feelings. Right now may be so hard for you but I do believe that it will pass and you will feel better. The sun has to come out after a storm. Hang in there girlfriend! I hope that you can find some to talk to even if it is embarrassing b/c it will help you to feel better. to get it off your shoulders. or, just connect w/someone on this website. Sending blessings and love your way! Amy
Thanks. Nicole, for the warm wishes! It was worse during my first trimester and it was depressing! I want that beautiful shinny healthy hair of years past. I will be seeing my mom(an ex-beautician) next week and I am gonna have give me a wonderful trim!
Oh man do I empathise with this post!
I still have long hair…not brave enough to cut it short I guess…but nowadays my husband is the only one who ever draws a brush or comb through it, because pulling it all back out of the brush/comb when I’ve finished is too much for my fragile emotions to cope with, and causes me to cry and cry and cry…and he’s fed up with the hysterics I go into when I see all my lovely hair wrapped up on the brush, no longer attached to my scalp. No, that’s an unkind comment, its not that he’s fed up with my hysterics, more so, he totally understands how upsetting I find it…so after a shower, I sit down and he combs through my hair, and discretely disposes of everything that falls out.
Thanks to Graves I don’t really have an awful lot going for me physically, any more…and losing my very best asset, which has always been my lovely, long (and previously thick) hair may absolutely smack of vanity to many, but for me it feels like my last link to normality…and without it I feel I truly am nothing.
Its still long, but no-one could now realistically describe it as lovely… and I wonder if it will ever be thick again.
It doesn’t matter how much conditioner I lash into it, it knots up like I don’t know what. I swear its conspiring to become unmanageable in order for more of it to fall out with the slightest encouragement. It fills the plug hole to block it completely…and on the rare occasion I have a bath and wash my hair, it floats all around to taunt me, and looks for all the world like I’m having a seaweed bath…its everywhere.
But I also need to know, whats with the ‘tache….the more it drops out of my head, the thicker it grows on my eyebrows and lip…there’s even a small, very small, dark patch under my chin. My husband promises me that its 100% un-noticeable, and I know he’s not lying to me, my doctor concurs, she swears she can’t even see the patch I’m referring to…but looking into the mirror, when I can avoid the bulging eyes and puffy eyelids, all I can see is this small dark patch under my chin…yep, I’m a stunner alright!
I can only think that Graves is trying its hardest to make me a “baldy-headed bearded lady”….any jobs going in your local freak show thysisters?
Thanks for the awesome article Nicole. You are funny, I hope you mean to be! The hair thing is another one of those easy to confuse symptoms with thyroid issues. I too had thick hair and loved it. As long as I had a good cut I really did not need to do anything, it just fell into place. I took that for granted just like my thyroid. I remember vividly the first time I ran my fingers through my hair and I took a fistful out with my hand. I had dealt with the shower thing long before that. Once again, just thought I was getting old. Now that my levo is getting to the right place my hair is no longer thinning out. I wonder what came first, the hair loss or the cancer, it’s all so intermingled now. By you addressing this issue others will be able to put two and two together and for that I am thankful 🙂
Dear Debra – I’m so very sorry for how you’re feeling, and I empathize more than I can say. A combination of the hair loss, our other symptoms, and the general mental state we’re in doesn’t make our lives easier to face when going nearly bald. Please don’t be embarrassed to face the world, don’t let this disease take you down like this! I get it. Have you thought about cutting your hair really short to try and manage your emotional stress? I know it doesn’t sound like it would help, but if you’re feeling like this constantly – it might make you feel better. You’re in my thoughts, and know that you’re not alone with these feelings.
Amy – that sounds good, a trim should help! My ends got so dry I just wanted to buzz the whole thing off, army style.
FuzzyThyroidBrain – How sweet of your husband to brush your hair for you! Listen gal, I thought my entire identity was tangled with my tresses as well, but when I let go of it – I realized I was hiding behind it. When I got my super short pixie, it still fell out – but dealing with mini hairs clogging the sink was easier than seeing long limpy hairs clutter my floor.
Oh yeah, and the stache issue – yeah, the hair from my head falling downward and settling into a nice fu manchu. I looked like a fucking catfish, and I still do.
Donna – I know, I didn’t know at first if I was just getting old and my hair wanted to leave the party early, or if it was something else. The hair loss started gradually, but when I too, ran my fingers through and saw clumps – I put it all together. Until recently, I assumed it wouldn’t come back because there was that thought that maybe it was a combo of getting older AND Graves.
The reason I wrote about the hair issue is cause I know it’s embarrassing to talk about. Sometimes we don’t share symptoms/issues that we NEED to share. I hope everyone knows that we’re all dealing with the same bullshit, and we have these shared experiences.
F it, let’s create a wig line made out of our discarded hairs! If I shave my back, I can get the “Crystal Gayle” one ready in an hour.
Grat article Nicole I found that in full blown b=]graves I lost my ahir keeojg it shiort it wasntl so noticable till I woke up in the moneing and found loads of haiors over my pillow and when I went to get it cut ws tole that i had new groth great but it was just short lived it comes in spurts and waves grows then i lose it hell I may just go comado and shave the fucking lot off. as for leg hairs now that is strange they all stopped growing when I was hyper now I am mainly up and down hyper/hypo they are growing sparse some grown in patches it’s almost as if they have forgotten where they should be growing. I hardly had to shave at all except the tosh and beard.
sorry about the mistakes pressed enter before I corrected them hope you can understand it.
I am laughing so hard my belly hurts. I replied on FB and wondered if we could include my dog’s hair. He’s a chocolate lab and it is all over the place.
Seriously though, I agree with you 100%. We have to put it out there and not sugar coat it. People are suffering and sometimes they have no idea why. And while they are trying to figure it out, or not, their bodies are wreaking havoc on them.
You rock girl. Thank you!
wow hair loss and thyroid issues, hmmmmmm…ya think. now that ive been doing my homework and trying to understand this wacky gland, i really do wonder what came first the cancer or the hair loss. im 33 years young but most days i feel old and when i started losing my waist long naturally curly hair i was devistated. as was my sweet hubby, he had to clean the drain daily…it was a little at first then drains full after each shower, then brushes and finally hand fulls.just before i got my diagnosis of thyroid cancer i had a vision….me with short manageable hair, my son and i went into a salon and well lets say i cut over 21 1/2 inches of happy curley hair. we donated it to locks of love and i now have a very short and sassy bob. i can finally just get up and go.
how bout this one, does anyone have issues with the supper dry skin? i cant beleive how much i have to lotion up daily. my skin is now supper sensitive to my fave bath and bodyworks, so i now use aveno. oh and my nails, what a joke do you gals have the dry brittle type too? i so love that you address all these issues it really helps knowing im not alone in this, and that we have each other to lean on.
hugs and strenght to all!!
gina
Lolly, I totally understand – you should see the emails my mom sends me..haha she’s gonna be so mad at me for saying that!
My hair growth came in waves too, and I think it’s not only our disease doing that, but also the natural growth cycle for hair. It makes sense that since our bodies are out of control, our hair has to find a new rhythm of growth.
I’m making an educated guess (yeah, I majored in theater, so what the HELL do I know??) but it makes perfect sense in my messed up brain.
Donna – I don’t sugar coat ANYTHING. Trust that everyone on here can come to me for brutal honesty.
What else can we do? It became a joke to pull the comb over look day in and day out. At some point I just had to have it out with my hair, and I ended up winning that battle.
Gina – have you ever tried Azulene cream? I LOVE it, and it really does help when my skin gets dry. Sometimes it looks like I have dandruff on my fat cheeks.
It’s so amazing that you donated your hair! Out of this misery of losing, you’re giving and making someone feel better. That makes me so happy!
Nicole i have given up trying to correct my mistakes I think it gives it a hair of mystery trying to fanthom it out.
One thing i did forget to mention. just as you pointed out about the the new rhythems of growth and cycle but what the body forgot to tell the hair follicles you just don’t grow public hairs on your chin boy those ones are course.
Hi Nicole, I don’t have Graves but I endured 4 straight years of continual hair loss. It was devastating. I *Knew* it was my thyroid as I had virtually ALL the symptoms, but I couldn’t get anyone to prescribe me anything. I’d always been known for my thick mane, the ONE thing I ever took for granted. Never clumps, but gradual…I kept cutting it shorter and shorter for volume…I did it so well people didn’t believe I had a problem. Eventually I had so little hair I started wearing a wig. Only wore it a few months as I finally got on Armour and a lot grew back. Not enough though to grow it long. For 3 yrs now it’s been up and down and as I sit here I don’t have enough hair for bangs. I kinda look like I’m…very young so I do plan on wearing wigs for fun. Also if it all falls out I plan on doing that plus putting temp tattoos all over and writing things…..I don’t have even much leg hair left but I still have quite a bit on my arms I need to manage as well as chin hair. Wth. LOL….on subject of dry skin, it’s gotten so dry lately I mix my SPF moisturizer w/body butter on my face. Also H20 is a great body butter for body. Hugs Nicole. Thanks.
i have hypoT-possibly hashi’s but that’s not 100% certain- prediagnosis, i lost hair at an alarming rate for mos. and the texture changed. My nails became soft and started splitting vertically into the quick. When i ended up with only 4 pubic hairs- oh, this was b4 i developed my “Buddha” belly and could still actually see my bush-i assumed it was from menopause. then the lovely moustache and chin hairs arrived and i lost all the hair on my arms and legs.I ended up cutting my hair short, stopped dying it,have been on synthroid for 4 yrs and now i can proudly announce tht my bush is back. But it’s still dark-if ppl saw it they’d think i’ve been dying my head hair gray . Now i’m developing little tufts of hair on my arms which is kinda freaking me out. I’ve just gotten used to being semihairless and the little fuckers are showing up in the oddest places. I think i can actually grow a better stache than my ex-husband
Nicole – I have Hashimoto’s, not Graves’ an have always had weird stuff going on with my body hair and head hair. In the beginning it got so dry I looked like that scared monkey with chopped up dry hair sticking out. Wish I had the money I spent on all the conditioning products that never worked. I was able to grow out the chopped layer look, which helped get rid of the scared monkey look but it was so brittle. Then it started coming out in clumps and I clogged the drain weekly. I started out with VERY thick hair so it wasn’t noticeable to anyone but it scared the shit out of me. I was so afraid it wouldn’t stop but luckily it did.
Now after being back on Armour for a few months, it really started to settle down and actually looked better than I could ever remember. But now again the past few weeks, I have lost so much hair I am really getting worried. It has never come out in clumps like this and it actually looks and feels so thin to me. We are having trouble keeping the drains from backing up and everywhere I look there is hair, in the bed, in the car and when I sweat in this hot weather it gets stuck all over me. I’m getting it cut tomorrow. Oh and so GROSS is when long hairs drop in my food. My hair is so thin it makes my fat face (thx roid) look fatter.
And what’s up with the leg hair, although I’m not complaining about that. It’s slowly disappearing, has been for years and I only need to shave the top half once a week. I just wish it was falling off my arms and face. My arms are way too hairy. But worse of all is the facial hair, WTF is up with that, it’s out of control. It will just have to be Halloween all year long. I’ll be the fat bald lady with a beard and butterflies painted on my head.
Donna – I’m glad you’re on Armour, I’ve been on Armour since my RAI and I’m feeling a lot better. I wish I coulda rocked a wig when I was at the peak of Graves, but since I was sweating through everything it wouldn’t have worked. I’m happy some of your hair is growing back, and hey, just rock the short hair for awhile! It’s less to deal with in the summer, right?
Bee – ahahaha the bush description is too hilarious!
Lori – we should create a circus side show or something. Maybe your hair is falling out cause of the weather? It’s hard to tell with thick hair, cause gals blessed with thick locks can lose some and not stress – I envy that. I drop a few strands and I’m back to hiding under the covers with a piece of cake to drown my sorrows.
Maybe your dose of Armour needs to be adjusted? Are you going to your doc for a checkup soon?
Love this installation! I’m sitting here at my computer, bowled over in laughter, but at the same time I’m identifying with the fear that courses through your veins when your comb through your hair and realize there’s more hair in your brush than on your head.
Loving your column so much!
xoxo,
Joanna
So who’s signing up for the baldy bearded-laydee act?
We could storm the world at the next ‘…Got Talent’ Show…can you imagine Simon Cowell’s reaction…*LOL*
Joanna – Thanks gal! I don’t even brush my hair anymore, too traumatizing.
I loved your post too, Nicole. I haven’t had chance to comment as technically we are on holiday here in Barcelona, but thank you so much for writing this post and for being so courageously honest – I know that a lot of thyroid patients will be able to identify with this. And of course, it is a real bitch that some hormonal issues can both cause you to become hirsute and lose hair all at the same time.
erica: i know exactly what you mean. my boyfriend gets so frustrated when he has to stand in ankle-deep shower water because my hair has clogged the drain once again. when i start crying and tell him that my hair is falling out worse than ever and that i’m scared, he says i should call the doctor. they don’t understand, as much as they try to, but their wanting to be there is all the more reason to love them 🙂 these are the good one we’re meant to keep around!
nicole: why is it that my beautiful, soft, shiny, dark brown hair is falling out in clumps, and yet i have to get my out-of-control eyebrows waxed every couple of weeks and my arm and leg hair just won’t quit?? stupid thyroids…
I embraced the pixie three years ago.. it looks good, so, I’m okay with it now.
One eyebrow is falling out, too, which is tres annoying… at least it’s not poking out my nose or ears…
….yet.
Hey there, I have to say this is a wonderful tonic. I finally cried today after seeing a huge bald patch show itself above my left temple. I’ve fallen prey to the comb-over which my gorgeous boyfriend doesn’t understand. I’ve been diagnosed with Graves 5 month now and in Aug they left me on Carbimazole 4 wks too long and sent severely under/hypo from being dangerously over. That’s when my hair started falling out. My hair is wrecked. SO tangled – can’t even Afro comb it w/out it taking 45mins! No amount of conditioner helps. My hairs naturally ringletty and middle-back length but now it’s straw-like, stringy, knotty and difficult to do anything with – I just dream of shaving it all off but don’t have the balls. It can be cut too short as i’ll look like a mushroom head! I’m generally a v positive person and I’m lucky I’ve got a wonderful man who loves me and gives me amazing hugs when I feel down. For anyone who feels lonely or that they can’t talk about it should try speak to friends/loved ones. It’s not shameful to lose your hair just needs a little adjustment.
..on a lighter note, glad I’m not the only furry lipped lady on here. Knuckles too! Shame I can’t glue those hairs to my head!
Love to all xx