[Madame_X]

#1065713

Sorry for your troubles.

I still color my hair and I still wear my contacts. WOndering how come you’re having such troubles with hair coloring and your contacts.” title=”Sad” />

[Ewenme]

#1018561

I am a newly diagnosed Graves’ patient. I have been coloring my hair for years (I’m 64). Hate to stop now. I’ve had to stop wearing contacts, too, and feel like I’m turning old overnight.
I am wondering what the rest of you did. Is it ok to color your hair? How bad did your hair get? Did you consider getting a wig?

Joy

[Ewenme]

#1065714

I have been unable to wear the contacts becasue of the dryness of my eyes–
I’m afraid of the chemicals in the hair coloring damaging my already brittle, dry hair.
What is your background? Perhaps you’re beyond treatment and back to semi-normality. It would be reassuring to know that things will get back to normal if that is the case. I’m sorry for your problems, too, by the way.
Joy

[Ski]

#1065715

Once things are back to normal, we can (for the most part) return to things like coloring hair. Contacts can be a very individual issue ~ I’ve been able to wear mine throughout, even when they were more dry than before, but I know that for some, the comfort just never returns. I used a TON of eye drops for a little while (the drops for "mid-range" severity of dryness), but I could still wear them.

Now I’ve switched to a new-ish type of soft lens that retains moisture on your eye better than the old ones. You may want to look into those ~ it triggers another "startup" cost for fitting, etc., but I’ve been VERY happy with these, and of course that’s just a one-time cost. Several manufacturers came out with them at once, so there are choices, if you’re interested in asking your contact lens provider about them.

[Bobbi]

#1065716

Hair slowly returns to normal, typically, once we are at controlled normal levels of hormone. Hair and nails are considered "expendible" by the body, so they are the first to suffer when someone is ill, and the last to recover. I stopped perming my hair when I was hyperthyroid. I understand that certain types of hair coloring products might be too harsh for some folks while they are ill — but it would be a good idea to check that out with your own colorist.

As for contacts, I tried the special ones for dry eyes, like Ski mentioned, and after about two hours it felt like I had suction cups attached to my eyes. I gave them up.

[Ewenme]

#1065717

I decided to try my contacts again this afternoon, and they were ok for a couple hours. I hadn’t heard of those other kind of contacts for dry eyes–will check into it.
I have been coloring my own hair, but will check with my stylist to see if she has any ideas.
Thanks so much for taking the time to ‘talk’ with me—I so appreciate it!
Joy

[gatorgirly]

#1065718

Joy,

Look into ProClear Compatibles. They are the only brand of contacts that are FDA-approved for dryness. I am a new contact wearer, and just a few weeks into my GD treatment, my transition from glasses to contacts has been without incident. Yes, my eyes get dry and irritated by the time I get home from work around 5 or 6 every night, so I’ve added taking my contacts to my routine of putting on sweatpants and getting off my feet ” title=”Smile” />

I also use Systane Contacts Lubricant Eye Drops – Soothing. I use a drop in each eye just after putting the contacts in each morning, and then keep the drops handy in case my eyes get too dry during the day, which happens maybe once or twice a week.

As the others mentioned, your ability to tolerate contacts will differ from others. But I would recommend looking into the ProClear lenses and the Systane drops before completely giving up on contacts.

As for your hair, I can’t offer any advice as I’ve never colored my hair. But good luck with your eyes!

[Kimberly]

#1065719

Hi Joy – I have given up both hair color and make-up, but this was because of a personal decision that I wanted to limit my exposure to chemicals as much as possible. I don’t have any evidence, though, that this has any effect on the course of our Graves’ Disease.

I have more and more gray showing, but I don’t think it’s affected the texture of my hair. And the good news is that I have a few hundred extra dollars in my pocket every year from all the money I was spending on hair color and make-up. ” title=”Very Happy” />

And I wear my contacts VERY infrequently now, mostly due to dryness. I’ve actually had one pop out while I was driving…NOT fun!

[Ewenme]

#1065720

You look quite young (and attractive), Kim. If I stop coloring my hair, I will really look like the Grandma I am ” title=”Smile” />
No make up? I would feel naked without it. I admire your ability to do without both. Maybe it’s just a matter of getting used to it.
I will check on the contacts mentioned in the earlier post and the Systane drops. I have been wearing bi-focal contacts so I would have to check and see if they are available in that type of contact. My contact days are limited anyway, I think, since bifocals won’t work forever. Eventually I would have to go to glasses anyway.
QUESTION: Should I make an appt with an opthalmologist now before I have any eye involvement (at least it doesn’t appear so)?

Thanks again, friends, for being there.
Joy

[Ski]

#1065721

This question has come up before ~ the doctors are split on the answer. It can be a benefit because then you’ve begun a relationship with the doctor, and it also helps if they know what you looked like "before," in case there IS an "after." The changes can be very disfiguring, and the outcome of any surgery you may need for your eyes is better when the doctor has a clear idea of where you started.

Those who are of the opinion that it is not necessarily a good idea usually say so because a very small portion of the overall GD population ends up with such severe symptoms that they need to be managed by an ophthalmologist, so in MOST cases it will be a waste of time.

I suppose you can satisfy both by having an ophthalmologist’s phone number handy, by taking a GOOD picture of yourself now, before any changes begin (close up, eyes open naturally, front and side view ~ heck, both sides), and by knowing what symptoms to look for so that you call that number ASAP if you see changes beginning to occur.

[susanne13]

#1065722

Hi! You should try an all natural hair dye – you can buy them at Whole Foods or you can have it done at a salon. I did this when I was pregnant and it worked almost as well. Might be a little pricier but well worth it!!

I have had my hair highlighted since being diagnosed (February 2010) but since I have been on meds, I am not losing nearly as much hair and it doesn’t seem to be as damaged.

I wish you the very best of luck!
Susanne

[Kaeljia]

#1065723

I go through stages, extreme hair loss, where it seems handfulls or brushfulls come out during shampooing and brushing to the point where the front of my scalp starts to recede, Then all of a sudden I get all these little hairs growing… since I’ve had Graves I’ve started to get grey hairsm hair though grows long very easily but the texture and look feels different ( I’m 44) my nails still have not recovered but do the same thing, they will grow really fast and long then seem to stop and get all wonky warbly ridges in them. Crack and are always thin.
My skin is dry, and my hands look very old.

[Ski]

#1065724

The hair and nails are considered, by the "manager" of the body, to be "extra" functions that are nice to support when we’re healthy, but when certain types of illnesses occur (like thyroid imbalance), the body removes resources from the hair and nails in order to preserve resources to keep the rest of the body functioning properly. Once your thyroid hormone levels are normalized, and have been stable for some period of time, then your body can *begin* to heal, and it will return resources to those parts of your body. While we’re being treated, any changes (even a change in the right direction) is perceived by the body as an emergency state, and resources are removed, so it’s common for us to have our hair/nails return to something that seems close to normal, then a medication or replacement hormone dose change can throw things into a little bit of chaos again, even if you’re heading in the right direction. It’ll come back, but in the meantime, go easy on your hair especially. If you’re able to do it, a short cut that you can style easily (without all the tugging and pulling of brushes and heat damage of the blow dryer) will perhaps help. I think color can be damaging too. Dry skin can also be a result of imbalance, so reaching (and staying at) healthy thyroid hormone levels should resolve it, if that’s what’s causing it.

[Smitty16]

#1065725

I have an 18 yr old african american daughter.. she had her entire thyroid removed at age 3. She is now asking for a little hair color ( streaks). When her thyroid was removed I was told she could never have any chemicals in her hair. so she has never had any relaxers or hair color. She is currently on 112mg synthroid.Our hair stylist’s mom had same surgery and is on same dose of meds as my daughter. Our stylist refused to give her mom a relaxer. So mom went to another shop and 2 weeks later all her hair fell out and has never grown back. Any suggestions or medical facts about hair color? I’ve read some of the post of natual hair color.

[Kimberly]

#1065726

Personally, I stopped adding highlights to my hair because I didn’t want the exposure to the chemicals. But this is the first I’ve heard of *any* particular hair products causing total loss of hair.

Perhaps someone else can chime in here, but a couple of other issues come to mind. First, when our thyroid hormone levels are swinging between hypO & hypEr (in either direction), hair loss is fairly common, although I don’t think I’ve heard of anyone losing all their hair. Second, there is an autoimmune condition called Alopecia Areata that can involve total hair loss. Is it possible your stylist’s mom was dealing with one of these other issues?

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