Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Hypothyroidism can cause far more than tiredness and weight gain — low thyroid hormone affects skin turnover, oil production, circulation, fluid balance, and hair growth, which means the signs often show up on your skin, face, nails and eyebrows long before people realise their thyroid may be involved.
Most people think dry skin, puffiness, thinning hair, or brittle nails are just part of stress, ageing, or the weather. But when several of these changes appear together, especially alongside fatigue, feeling cold, or a pale puffy face, low thyroid becomes much more likely.
As an Advanced Clinical Practitioner and Pharmacist practicing in family medicine, these are exactly the kinds of patterns I look for in clinic. One of the most recognisable is thinning of the outer eyebrows, known as Queen Anne’s sign, but there are several other skin clues people often miss for months.
In this video, I break down 10 skin signs that can point to hypothyroidism, including dry cracked skin, puffiness around the eyes, thinning of the outer eyebrows, hair loss, brittle or thick nails, thickened skin on the hands and feet, orange-tinted palms, unexplained itching, cold skin, and swelling that can even affect the tongue and sleep.
What you’ll learn:
-Why dry, cracked skin is one of the most common thyroid clues
-Why a pale, puffy face can be a sign of myxedema
-How thinning of the outer eyebrows, known as Queen Anne’s sign, can signal low thyroid
-Why hypothyroidism can cause hair thinning and loss
-How low thyroid affects nails, skin texture, and the palms
-Why unexplained itching and feeling cold can be thyroid-related
-How swollen tissue can affect the tongue, throat, and sleep
-When it is worth speaking to your doctor about thyroid testing
DOCTOR FOX:
doctorfox.co.uk - Looking for more information or treatment options for a condition? Visit Dr Fox, a Registered Online Doctor & Pharmacy, who are very good friends of the channel! Visit their website today and learn more about their services! Dr Fox thanks for being our Trusted Sponsor!
NETI POT SINUS RINSE BOTTLE BY ABRAHAM THE PHARMACIST:
Stuffy/Runny Nose from a cold, flu, allergies or post nasal drip? Try my Neti Pot Sinus Rinse Bottle by Abraham the pharmacist, available worldwide on Amazon- amazon.openinapp.link/ycbzf - Click to open in the Amazon app. amazon.com/dp/B0CCC5WTQL - Or, use this link to go directly to the Amazon website.
This innovative solution makes natural saline nasal rinsing easier and more effective than ever before. Add it to your home medical kit today!
WHEN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT LOW THYROID:
An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) happens when the thyroid gland does not make enough hormones, leading to symptoms such as tiredness, weight gain, feeling cold, constipation, low mood, dry skin or hair, and difficulty concentrating. Symptoms can develop slowly and may be mistaken for other conditions, so you should see a GP if you think you may have an underactive thyroid. Diagnosis is usually confirmed with blood tests, and treatment involves daily levothyroxine tablets to replace the missing hormone, often for life. Regular blood tests are needed to check your dose, as the wrong amount can cause side effects. If untreated, hypothyroidism can increase the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and, in rare cases, lead to a serious emergency called myxoedema coma. If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, it is especially important to speak to your GP, as treatment helps reduce risks such as high blood pressure, miscarriage, or premature birth. With the right care, most people with hypothyroidism can live a normal and healthy life.
REFERENCES:
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(17)30703-1/fulltext
nature.com/articles/s41572-022-00357-7
link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12325-019-01080-8
nature.com/articles/nrendo.2017.47
academic.oup.com/ejendo/article-abstract/179/6/R297/6655421?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction
00:11 This Makes Me Think Low Thyroid
00:28 Dry, Cracked Skin
00:51 Pale, Puffy Face
01:15 Loss of Eyebrow Ends
01:26 Hair Thinning or Loss
01:45 Brittle or Thick Nails
02:01 Skin Thickening on Hands and Feet
02:15 Orange-Tinted Palms
02:32 Itchiness Without a Rash
02:47 Cold Skin or Intolerance to Cold
03:01 Swollen Tongue and Sleep Issues
03:30 Final Thoughts
#hypothyroidism #thyroid #lowthyroid #skinchanges #fatigue #abrahamthepharmacist
Hypothyroidism can cause far more than tiredness and weight gain — low thyroid hormone affects skin turnover, oil production, circulation, fluid balance, and hair growth, which means the signs often show up on your skin, face, nails and eyebrows long before people realise their thyroid may be involved.
Most people think dry skin, puffiness, thinning hair, or brittle nails are just part of stress, ageing, or the weather. But when several of these changes appear together, especially alongside fatigue, feeling cold, or a pale puffy face, low thyroid becomes much more likely.
As an Advanced Clinical Practitioner and Pharmacist practicing in family medicine, these are exactly the kinds of patterns I look for in clinic. One of the most recognisable is thinning of the outer eyebrows, known as Queen Anne’s sign, but there are several other skin clues people often miss for months.
In this video, I break down 10 skin signs that can point to hypothyroidism, including dry cracked skin, puffiness around the eyes, thinning of the outer eyebrows, hair loss, brittle or thick nails, thickened skin on the hands and feet, orange-tinted palms, unexplained itching, cold skin, and swelling that can even affect the tongue and sleep.
What you’ll learn:
-Why dry, cracked skin is one of the most common thyroid clues
-Why a pale, puffy face can be a sign of myxedema
-How thinning of the outer eyebrows, known as Queen Anne’s sign, can signal low thyroid
-Why hypothyroidism can cause hair thinning and loss
-How low thyroid affects nails, skin texture, and the palms
-Why unexplained itching and feeling cold can be thyroid-related
-How swollen tissue can affect the tongue, throat, and sleep
-When it is worth speaking to your doctor about thyroid testing
DOCTOR FOX:
doctorfox.co.uk - Looking for more information or treatment options for a condition? Visit Dr Fox, a Registered Online Doctor & Pharmacy, who are very good friends of the channel! Visit their website today and learn more about their services! Dr Fox thanks for being our Trusted Sponsor!
NETI POT SINUS RINSE BOTTLE BY ABRAHAM THE PHARMACIST:
Stuffy/Runny Nose from a cold, flu, allergies or post nasal drip? Try my Neti Pot Sinus Rinse Bottle by Abraham the pharmacist, available worldwide on Amazon- amazon.openinapp.link/ycbzf - Click to open in the Amazon app. amazon.com/dp/B0CCC5WTQL - Or, use this link to go directly to the Amazon website.
This innovative solution makes natural saline nasal rinsing easier and more effective than ever before. Add it to your home medical kit today!
WHEN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT LOW THYROID:
An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) happens when the thyroid gland does not make enough hormones, leading to symptoms such as tiredness, weight gain, feeling cold, constipation, low mood, dry skin or hair, and difficulty concentrating. Symptoms can develop slowly and may be mistaken for other conditions, so you should see a GP if you think you may have an underactive thyroid. Diagnosis is usually confirmed with blood tests, and treatment involves daily levothyroxine tablets to replace the missing hormone, often for life. Regular blood tests are needed to check your dose, as the wrong amount can cause side effects. If untreated, hypothyroidism can increase the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and, in rare cases, lead to a serious emergency called myxoedema coma. If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, it is especially important to speak to your GP, as treatment helps reduce risks such as high blood pressure, miscarriage, or premature birth. With the right care, most people with hypothyroidism can live a normal and healthy life.
REFERENCES:
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(17)30703-1/fulltext
nature.com/articles/s41572-022-00357-7
link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12325-019-01080-8
nature.com/articles/nrendo.2017.47
academic.oup.com/ejendo/article-abstract/179/6/R297/6655421?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction
00:11 This Makes Me Think Low Thyroid
00:28 Dry, Cracked Skin
00:51 Pale, Puffy Face
01:15 Loss of Eyebrow Ends
01:26 Hair Thinning or Loss
01:45 Brittle or Thick Nails
02:01 Skin Thickening on Hands and Feet
02:15 Orange-Tinted Palms
02:32 Itchiness Without a Rash
02:47 Cold Skin or Intolerance to Cold
03:01 Swollen Tongue and Sleep Issues
03:30 Final Thoughts
#hypothyroidism #thyroid #lowthyroid #skinchanges #fatigue #abrahamthepharmacist
