A swollen face is one of the common Hypothyroidism Symptoms that people experience. A swollen face that is caused by low thyroid function is often referred to by medical professionals as “myxoedema.”
“Hypothyroidism can affect facial features in many different ways, including facial puffiness, loss of hair from the outer part of the eyebrows, and in particular, swelling around the eyes,” says Ronald Lechan, M.D., PhD, endocrinologist and co-director of the Hypothalamic and Pituitary Disease Center at Tufts Medical ...
In hypothyroidism, facial changes include dulled expression, drooping eyelids, and puffiness of the eyes and face.
Lumps on discolored skin that feel hard and waxy can be a sign of thyroid disease.
This inflammation can push the eyes forward (“staring” or “bulging”) or cause the eyes and eyelids to become red and swollen. In some individuals, the inflammation may involve the eye muscles, causing the eyes to become out of line, leading to double vision.
An underactive thyroid can also result in puffiness, swelling, and fluid retention. Hyperthyroidism generally results in weight loss making it less likely to cause a double chin. However, hyperthyroidism can be associated with thyroid swelling (goiter), which could create the appearance of a double chin.
Dry skin is one of the most common symptoms of hypothyroidism. With less thyroid hormone, the skin becomes thinner and more scaly because of dead skin cells — resulting in dry skin. Dry skin is more likely to affect the skin on the arms and legs above the joints, but it can involve the palms and soles too.
Even mild cases of hypothyroidism may increase the risk of weight gain and obesity. People with the condition often report having a puffy face as well as excess weight around the stomach or other areas of the body.
The appearance of your tongue may indicate whether or not your altered taste buds stem from a thyroid issue. A healthy tongue is slightly pink, moist, and mostly smooth. If your tongue is dry, discolored, coated, or painful, you may suffer from hypothyroidism.
You can improve thyroid function by naturally increasing thyroid hormone production through exercise, diet plans consisting of foods high in iodine, selenium, and probiotics, as well as proper stress management. Consistently doing these steps helps lower your risks for hypothyroidism.
Over time the thyroid usually returns to its normal state. Because the stored thyroid hormone has been released, patients may become hypothyroid (where their thyroid gland produces too little thyroid hormone) for a period of time until the thyroid gland can build up new stores of thyroid hormone.
Skin changes
In hypothyroidism, the time it takes for the skin cells to turn over increases. Because of this, your old cells stay on your skin longer. This will cause your skin to start feeling dry, rough, and scaly. You may start to notice wrinkles appearing or your skin starting to sag.
Thyroid hormones also influence the quality of your skin in various ways. For example, with hyperthyroidism, you may notice itchy and dry patches of skin. Your face may feel softer and swollen. You may even notice swelling around your fingertips.
Thyroid eye disease is a condition in which the eye muscles, eyelids, tear glands and fatty tissues behind the eye become inflamed. This can cause the eyes and eyelids to become red, swollen and uncomfortable and the eyes can be pushed forward ('staring' or 'bulging' eyes).
Fatty Foods Such as Butter, Meat, and All Things Fried
Fats may also interfere with the thyroid's ability to produce hormone as well. Some healthcare professionals recommend that you cut out all fried foods and reduce your intake of fats from sources such as butter, mayonnaise, margarine, and fatty cuts of meat.
An overactive thyroid can affect anyone, but it's about 10 times more common in women than men, and typically happens between 20 and 40 years of age.
Problems with the thyroid can be caused by: iodine deficiency. autoimmune diseases, in which the immune system attacks the thyroid, leading either to hyperthyroidism (caused by Graves' disease) or hypothyroidism (caused by Hashimoto's disease) inflammation (which may or may not cause pain), caused by a virus or ...
With thyroid fatigue, you may feel like you can't get through a day without a nap. You may sleep more than usual but still feel completely exhausted. You may not even have the energy to exercise. At times, you may fall asleep during the day or very quickly at night.
A swelling or enlargement in the neck is a visible clue that something may be wrong with the thyroid. A goiter may occur with either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Sometimes swelling in the neck can result from thyroid cancer or nodules, lumps that grow inside the thyroid.
Most of the extra weight gained in hypothyroid individuals is due to excess accumulation of salt and water. Massive weight gain is rarely associated with hypothyroidism. In general, 5-10 pounds of body weight may be attributable to the thyroid, depending on the severity of the hypothyroidism.
If your thyroid gland is under active, this usually causes your skin to become dry. Fine lines and wrinkles appear earlier and are more noticeable. It is well known that an under active thyroid gland will age you more rapidly.