This informative post comes from our community member Tejupriya. She talks about how thyroid issues can bring about acne outbursts and how important it is to get tested and treated in a timely manner. * applause *
Hi I am Tejupriya . This article I will be discussing how Thyroidism affects acne along with other side effects. I had mild / moderate acne in my teens. I went to a dermatologist to get myself treatment and it was taken care of.
But suddenly last year, I was under an acne attack. It was back and could not figure out why. I thought it was Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) but when I underwent a series of tests I was diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism.
Women are commonly more affected by this than men. Thyroidism symptoms to watch out for:
- Hair fall
- Weight fluctuations – gain/loss (in my case weight gain)
- Skin changes (in my case acne)
- Depression/mood Swings
- Family thyroid history (in my case my mom, grandma)
- Voice changes/any enlargement in the neck
- Infertility/ irregular menses in women (my cycle was affected)
- Severe constipation
Thyroid gland is one of the largest Endocrine glands in the Body. It is located in the neck region. The hormones associated with this gland are T3, T4 and TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone). The main function of thyroid gland is produce the right amounts of hormones needed to keep body’s metabolism at an optimum working level.
Hyperthyroidism is an over-active thyroid gland which produces more hormones than required.
I experienced heart palpitations (high heart rate) and chest pain. My blood pressure was high all time and I would go into panic mode. Fortunately my ECG report came out normal. I was ordered more tests and thyroid was high. I was put on thyroid medication Eltroxin 100mg and advised complete rest. This was a scary time for me. It took a few weeks to bring my BP to Normal.
Hypothyroidism is when thyroid gland is not producing enough hormones required for normal body function.
Acne is mainly caused by hormonal imbalance. When thyroid is not able to do its job properly it results in hormonal imbalance in the body. That can trigger acne. So when thyroid is the root cause it is important to treat Hyper/Hypothyroidism before you treat acne.
Consult an endocrinologist and get a Thyroid Profile done which is a blood test comprising of T3, T4 and TSH Hormone levels. Remember to go on fast or empty stomach when you go for blood test. Even drinking of water is not allowed before the test as it can hamper the test. The cost of the test is Rs 350-550 depending on the hospital / diagnostic centre.
Treatments for thyroid issues:
- Thyroid hormones in oral supplements like Levothyroxine (like Eltroxin,Thyronorm etc)
- Radioactive Iodine therapy
- Rare case scenario Surgery
If there is a thyroid problem do not neglect it at any cost. Take treatment right away else it could lead to some severe complications, especially in women. It is necessary to get yourself tested timely as the proverb says, “Prevention is always better than cure”.