Thyroid and Rosacea

[Guide]

"To our knowledge, no report investigating the skin findings among thyroid diseases exists in literature." [1] However, this same report states that of "220 patients with thyroid diseases, who did not have any medical cure, and 90 healthy individuals as a control group" found that  in 125 (56.8%) skin findings were detected," and of these 3.6% (4.5 patients) had rosacea. [1]

Apparently the above report didn't find this 1986 report that said, "Hyperpigmentation, pruritus and urticaria are associated with hyperthyroidism." [2] Nor the following reports cited in end note [2]. 

One report states, "Clearly, the prevalence of H. pylori infection is increased in autoimmune atrophic thyroiditis and results in abnormalities of gastric secretory function." [3]

Interestingly, one report, among others, discusses, "The occurrence of a black thyroid gland in humans seems to be virtually pathognomonic for long-term minocycline therapy." [4]

One report mentions the thyroid is association with rosacea and states, "We suggest possible associations between personal history of rosacea and an increased risk of thyroid cancer and BCC [basal cell carcinoma]. [5]

It is odd that there are so few papers associating rosacea with the thyroid gland. Tom Busby, SD expert at RF,  pointed out [in post no 38] an article, Cystic Hormonal Acne Caused By Your Low Thyroid? by Michelle Villet, who calls her skin issue as 'adult acne' which is possibly rosacea. The author points out research and thoughts by Raymond Peat, PhD., who is a member of the RRDi MAC. 

Villet writes that "the late Broda O. Barnes, MD, PhD. An American physician who dedicated more than 50 years of his life to researching and treating thyroid and related endocrine dysfunctions, Dr. Barnes is considered the “granddaddy” of the thyroid field (and someone whose work Dr. Peat cites quite frequently)." Wikipedia notes that "Barnes believed that many common diseases, including heart disease, cancer, depression, arthritis, diabetes, the common cold, tonsillitis, ear infections, apparent laziness in children, various menstrual disorders, and skin disorders, were all caused or exacerbated by hypothyroidism."

The Villet article is a long read but worth your time. She points out which I have confirmed above that the connection between the thyroid and our skin issues, being, of course, rosacea, is paltry in the medical journals and papers.

There are anecdotal reports of the thyroid rosacea connection. [7]

If you can find any more please post them in this thread. As more information on this is brought forward, it will be added to this post or in the thread by scrolling down. Please feel free to post your thoughts. 

Research on Thyroid and Rosacea

Do you think that 10K rosaceans could come together and each donate a dollar and sponsor research on thyroid and rosacea? 

Reply to this Topic

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End Notes

[1] Eur J Intern Med. 2009 Mar;20(2):158-61. doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2007.09.021. Epub 2008 Aug 5.
Skin findings in thyroid diseases.
Artantaş S1, Gül U, Kiliç A, Güler S.

[2] Am Fam Physician. 1986 Oct;34(4):93-8.
Cutaneous signs of thyroid disease.
Mullin GE, Eastern JS.

J Am Acad Dermatol. 1992 Jun;26(6):885-902.
Cutaneous manifestations of thyroid disease.
Heymann WR.

 Int J Dermatol. 1997 Sep;36(9):641-5.
Advances in the cutaneous manifestations of thyroid disease.
Heymann WR.

Dermatol Clin. 2002 Jul;20(3):473-81, vii.
Thyroid disease and the skin.
Leonhardt JM1, Heymann WR.

[3] J Clin Gastroenterol. 1998 Jun;26(4):259-63.
Helicobacter pylori infection is markedly increased in patients with autoimmune atrophic thyroiditis.
de Luis DA1, Varela C, de La Calle H, Cantón R, de Argila CM, San Roman AL, Boixeda D.

[4] Arch Pathol Lab Med. 1983 Apr;107(4):173-7.
The black thyroid. Its relation to minocycline use in man.
Saul SH, Dekker A, Lee RE, Breitfeld V.

Arch Dermatol. 1980 Nov;116(11):1262-5.
Skin pigmentation secondary to minocycline therapy.
McGrae JD Jr, Zelickson AS.

Rev Clin Esp. 1999 Jul;199(7):478-9.
[The black thyroid syndrome. A case report].
Cos M, Fernández-Real JM, Ricart W, Ortiz MR.

[5] Br J Cancer. 2015 Jul 28;113(3):520-3. doi: 10.1038/bjc.2015.217. Epub 2015 Jun 23.
Personal history of rosacea and risk of incident cancer among women in the US.
Li WQ1, Zhang M2, Danby FW3, Han J4, Qureshi AA5.

[6] Cystic Hormonal Acne Caused By Your Low Thyroid?, MICHELLE VILLET, BEAUTY EDITOR, THYROID NATION

The article above originally appeared as, Is Low Thyroid Causing Your "Hormonal" Acne? in Beautyeditor

[7] moonfire241 started a thread at RF and there are others if you use the top right search box and type in 'thyroid'

Thyroid image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons