What You Will Learn:

Methods, such as the application of body oil, for alleviating dry skin in hypothyroidism.

Thyroid disease issues: diet, supplements, doctors, symptoms, and more for those living with Hashimoto’s disease and other thyroid disorders.

Treatments for Hypothyroidism-Related Dry Skin

The thyroid gland, which is a part of the endocrine system, secretes hormones that control the rate at which the body uses energy. When your thyroid hormone production drops, nearly every system in your body slows down or changes.

Changes in the epidermis, dermis and sweat glands are all common in people with hypothyroidism. Rough or dry skin is the most common complaint of hypothyroidism. Although the exact relationship between the thyroid and the sweat glands is unclear, decreased sweating is a common cause of this dryness.

Other skin problems that may be associated with hypothyroidism include:

• Hair that is dry, brittle, and coarse.
• Loss of Hair (body and scalp)
• Rough, papery, and scaly epidermis
• White or yellowish complexion
• Swelling (edema)
• Orange nails that are coarse, dull, thin, and brittle
• Vaginal dryness

Dry skin can be alleviated by treating hypothyroidism.

Take a blood test to determine your thyroid function if you have bothersome skin problems. While many laboratories focus solely on thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), it is also important to measure free thyroxine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), and thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies for a complete picture.

Should testing reveal low thyroid levels, your condition can be effectively managed in the vast majority of cases. Thyroid medication optimization is the usual first step in alleviating symptoms like dry skin. Keep in mind that you and your doctor are both individuals with your own set of sensitivities when deciding on a course of treatment.

Alternative methods for dry skin care

There are ways to help your thyroid other than taking a replacement hormone medication.

Make sure you drink enough water.

The outermost layer of your skin cannot function properly without adequate hydration from water. Every day, you should drink no less than 32 ounces of water. Too much water will flush out minerals in your body that are needed to protect your dry skin in hypothyroidism.

In addition, drinking an additional 8 ounces of fluids can help if you consume caffeine, alcohol, or sweat for 30 minutes. When you have oily skin, your face produces sebum, but the rest of your body, including your arms, legs, and torso, can look like it’s parched.

This is because your sebaceous glands are located deeper in the skin on your face, making your body less effective at retaining moisture. Even though your sweat glands are working overtime in the summer, dry skin is much more noticeable in the winter. This is why it’s important to stay hydrated all year long, not just when the weather warms up.

Lessen the frequency of your showers and tub soaks.

Excessive use of soaps or bubble baths that are particularly drying to the skin can also contribute to the problem. Make sure the water is as cool as possible and try to take a shower once a day if you sweat a lot. Apply body oil immediately after toweling off to help seal in moisture and promote a healthy balance of sebum. Use mild bath products that won’t over-strip your skin’s moisture barrier during cleansing.

Take care not to dry out your skin with hypothyroidism

Soaps and cleansers containing irritants and synthetics can have the same drying effect on the skin. Even moisturizers containing these ingredients can make your skin more prone to premature aging, wrinkles, and cracks. Surprisingly, even “clean”-sounding luxury body washes and hand soaps may contain irritating sulfates and artificial preservatives, which can dry out the skin.

Sodium lauryl sulfate is used to increase the soap’s foaming abilities, but it can be harsh and irritating to the skin and contains artificial fragrances and parabens, which mimic estrogen in the body and can harm the environment.

It’s recommended that you stay away from soaps that contain the aforementioned toxins. Instead, try using a cleanser formulated with soothing and moisturizing botanical extracts, such as aloe vera juice, calendula, hydrosols or floral waters, oatmeal, or honey.

Also, soften up your towels and wardrobe to prevent skin irritation.

A low temperature and high humidity are ideal.

Some research suggests that external humidity can help hydrate the outer layer of your skin, much like drinking water does for the deeper layers of skin. To prevent the skin from drying out, hydration is essential.

The advantages of moisturizing with oil

Some people avoid using body oil because they believe it will make their skin look greasy, cause breakouts, or take too long to absorb. As a matter of fact, the exact opposite is correct. The best body oils have a formula that is both incredibly hydrating and not too heavy on the skin.

Moisture is more effectively preserved by oils.

Because oils are lipophilic, or “fat-loving,” they combine with other oils (fats), such as the sebum on your skin. Due to this quality, they are able to reach deeper layers of skin and keep moisture levels there high. Because of their ability to regulate sebum production, oils are recommended for those who struggle with oily and acne-prone skin. Since your skin is no longer under stress, it will stop producing extra oil, which can cause clogged pores and acne.

Oils are preservative and synthetic free

Water and oil are combined to make lotions, but just like in a jar of salad dressing, the two don’t go well together. Formulators whip the water and oil content together to form an emulsion, which results in the desired creamy texture. Nonetheless, parabens and other synthetic preservatives are added to water-based products to prevent the growth of bacteria.

Oil’s great quality as an anhydrous substance means that it can be preserved without the addition of any artificial preservatives in order to maintain its shelf life. Second, unlike synthetic fragrances, the scent of natural oils comes solely from the plants themselves.

Many endocrine-disrupting ingredients, such as phlathates, are sneakily included under the umbrella term “fragrance” on ingredient labels.

Oils are rich in nutrients, vitamins and anti-oxidants

Bioactive oils nourish the skin from the inside out by transporting essential nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants to the dermis.
Vitamins and minerals found in botanical ingredients are readily absorbed by the skin due to their lipophilic nature and small molecular size.

When applied to the skin, oils allow their active ingredients to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream, making them very bio-active. Intensely nourishing oils can rebuild the skin’s moisture barrier and promote cellular renewal. Lotions, on the other hand, can hydrate the skin, but they tend to remain on the surface until they are rinsed off.

Oils have the ability to mend and control surface damage on the skin.

Your skin’s outermost layer acts as a moisture barrier, preventing water loss and protecting you from bacteria and other environmental hazards. A damaged moisture barrier in the outer layer of skin is the likely cause of dry, tight, or irritated skin from hypothyroidism.

The tiniest cracks in the skin are created when the moisture barrier is compromised by harsh chemicals, excessive exfoliation, or environmental pollutants, leaving the skin more susceptible to the effects of these aggressors, such as the development of fine lines, acne breakouts, and uneven pigmentation.

Natural organic oils, in contrast to lotions, can actually penetrate the skin. Popular remedies for a damaged moisture barrier include rosehip, jojoba, and carrot seed oils.

Oils offer defense against both environmental hazards and free radicals.

External stressors are less effective when you use an oil that protects the skin from the inside out. Since pure body oils don’t dilute their effectiveness with water or fillers, they effectively trap beneficial components while keeping harmful ones out.

Premature aging and damage to the skin’s outer layer can be caused by free radicals, which include particles of pollution, UV rays from the sun, and certain chemicals. Protecting against free radicals and regular wear and tear, oils containing cypress and squalane are particularly useful.

Drabness, premature wrinkles, and skin discoloration are just some of the conditions they can treat.

If you’re ready to make the switch, it’s important to find oils that contain beneficial botanical oils so that your skin can absorb all the health benefits they provide.

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