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Your curls are Hair Goals -- I agree with your kids lol! Seriously though, you're looking amaaaazing ❤️

This was me after getting to work, clocking in, and being paid to "turn it on" and smile lol And yes, that's one of my 2 fur babies. This particular one is Asher lol Btw...I know you guys have seen pics of my straight hair in the past. The curls in my hair are actually natural. I have straightened my hair for the better part of 20 years, to the point that even when I didn't straighten it, there was almost no curl or wave left in it. After my hysterectomy, I got my hair cut and ALL the curl came roaring back lol I have no idea why. But my kids have decided I'm not allowed to straighten it anymore, so I won't.

agree with poster above...you don't look too small at all....just right IMO. AND your boobs look very much intact..still good sized, yet higher up than your before pic! (sorry for objectifying you...you look fab!) ...also the lighter hair colour in the after pic suits you better!

They are yummy! I also am scared of losing hair, but from what I gather there isn't much we can do about preventing it - but it'll only be temporary if it does happen I just take the gummies to make my hair in a better condition as it is now! Definitely! I think some vitamins like B12 & D, the absorption is actually quite poor in tablet form, so the sprays help with that! Oh bless her I know that can happen with some people! So I paid privately in the UK, and it is a 2 year package of aftercare that includes: 1 week post-op appointment with a bariatric nurse 4 week post-op appointment with a bariatric nurse 8 week post-op appointment with a bariatric nurse 12 week post-op appointment with a bariatric nurse nutritional screen blood test 10 days before 6 month appointment 6 month post-op appointment with a dietician 9 month post-op appointment with a bariatric nurse 12 month post-op appointment with a dietician and a follow-up with the psychotherapist 15 month post-op appointment with a bariatric nurse 18 month post-op appointment with a bariatric nurse 21 month post-op appointment with a bariatric nurse 24 month post-op appointment with a bariatric nurse

I haven't heard of hairburst, but I'm looking it up now! One of my fears is losing too much hair. I hadn't heard of the spray vitamins until I started this forum. It seems like a great idea. My friend had WLS and had to have a blood transfusion due to her anemia, then they put her on injections of vitamins because she just couldn't keep them down. How often do you still talk to your dietician?

I made this post in another thread as a response to someone else, and then I realized it's something that might help others after they've had their surgery and find themselves struggling. Maybe you're seeing an increase in hormones all of a sudden...maybe you're discovering there's a lot more work involved in getting and keeping the results you need after having the surgery. Maybe you're struggling to change your relationship with food. Whatever the case is, maybe this will help "I never really had the emotional ups and downs, mostly because at the time I had PCOS, and the influx of estrogen from both my surgeries actually normalized my hormones for a few months each time lol What I DID have, however, is the emotional issues that came with changing my relationship with food. I had NO IDEA that would be a thing lol Changing what you eat, how you eat, when and why you eat, how often you eat is like breaking up with a toxic partner. You've been together for a REALLY long time, and even though you KNOW it's a terrible, unhealthy relationship, it's really all you know and you're so dependent on it you don't think you can function without it. And now you have to figure out how to. You have to completely retrain your brain, learn the difference between true hunger and head hunger (there is an actual, real difference), and you have to learn to read the nutrition labels, track your calories and Protein and carbs, work out, don't cheat (and don't make excuse after excuse and justification after justification for why you went back to the toxic relationship even after you knew it was bad for you, yet still gave in), measure food, track fluids, take HONEST accountability for your actions (which isn't something most of us had been particularly good at) and make adjustments as needed to stay as compliant as possible for the long haul. Contrary to what so many think, there's actually a LOT of work that has to happen after the surgery. The surgery itself is just a tool. It's not a miracle cure. It won't fix all the issues if you don't put in the actual work. Just eating smaller amounts without making any of the necessary changes isn't enough, and that's a hard lesson many learn later on. All of this is such a mind eff, and takes a toll on a person. It's a lot of changes, and a lot of work, thrown at a person all at once. And no matter how ready you think you are, it can still cause so much emotional turmoil, and understandably so. What I, and so many, don't realize is that we all have ED (eating disorders) in order to get to being obese and morbidly obese (or in some cases, super morbidly obese). It's not just anorexia or bulimia. I genuinely didn't know that. We have to retrain our brains to get out of that, and sometimes that requires help, and we have to be ok with getting that help. And because we have to do that, we then get incredibly frustrated and defeated feeling when the weight comes off slower than we thought it would, or we hit stalls (or in my case, stall after stall after stall - which is COMPLETELY normal, by the way, and should be expected). I said all of this to say there's SO many different reasons we can have emotions all over the place. Influx of hormones all at once, changes in relationship with food, changes in routines and increase in the things we don't particularly like doing (or not doing anymore), learning we have to do a lot of work to get and maintain the results we want after the surgery, learning PATIENCE with the rate of weight loss and trusting the process (easier said than done, believe me, I know), realizing that body dysmorphia is REAL and we can and do struggle with seeing ourselves as anything other than our formerly obese selves (I'm 182 pounds and I still see 421 pounds sometimes when I look in the mirror), and of course, hair loss (also COMPLETELY normal, and will eventually stop). You won't go bald, there's nothing to prevent it or stop it, you need to increase your protein, biotin doesn't slow it down, and it's a COMPLETELY normal part of the process that many of us don't know about until it happens and then we freak out. So give yourself some grace and just know this is normal. You're doing great, and we're all here for you, just like everyone was here for me "

I never really had the emotional ups and downs, mostly because at the time I had PCOS, and the influx of estrogen from both my surgeries actually normalized my hormones for a few months each time lol What I DID have, however, is the emotional issues that came with changing my relationship with food. I had NO IDEA that would be a thing lol Changing what you eat, how you eat, when and why you eat, how often you eat is like breaking up with a toxic partner. You've been together for a REALLY long time, and even though you KNOW it's a terrible, unhealthy relationship, it's really all you know and you're so dependent on it you don't think you can function without it. And now you have to figure out how to. You have to completely retrain your brain, learn the difference between true hunger and head hunger (there is an actual, real difference), and you have to learn to read the nutrition labels, track your calories and Protein and carbs, work out, don't cheat (and don't make excuse after excuse and justification after justification for why you went back to the toxic relationship even after you knew it was bad for you, yet still gave in), measure food, track fluids, take HONEST accountability for your actions (which isn't something most of us had been particularly good at) and make adjustments as needed to stay as compliant as possible for the long haul. Contrary to what so many think, there's actually a LOT of work that has to happen after the surgery. The surgery itself is just a tool. It's not a miracle cure. It won't fix all the issues if you don't put in the actual work. Just eating smaller amounts without making any of the necessary changes isn't enough, and that's a hard lesson many learn later on. All of this is such a mind eff, and takes a toll on a person. It's a lot of changes, and a lot of work, thrown at a person all at once. And no matter how ready you think you are, it can still cause so much emotional turmoil, and understandably so. What I, and so many, don't realize is that we all have ED (eating disorders) in order to get to being obese and morbidly obese (or in some cases, super morbidly obese). It's not just anorexia or bulimia. I genuinely didn't know that. We have to retrain our brains to get out of that, and sometimes that requires help, and we have to be ok with getting that help. And because we have to do that, we then get incredibly frustrated and defeated feeling when the weight comes off slower than we thought it would, or we hit stalls (or in my case, stall after stall after stall - which is COMPLETELY normal, by the way, and should be expected). I said all of this to say there's SO many different reasons we can have emotions all over the place. Influx of hormones all at once, changes in relationship with food, changes in routines and increase in the things we don't particularly like doing (or not doing anymore), learning we have to do a lot of work to get and maintain the results we want after the surgery, learning PATIENCE with the rate of weight loss and trusting the process (easier said than done, believe me, I know), realizing that body dysmorphia is REAL and we can and do struggle with seeing ourselves as anything other than our formerly obese selves (I'm 182 pounds and I still see 421 pounds sometimes when I look in the mirror), and of course, hair loss (also COMPLETELY normal, and will eventually stop). You won't go bald, there's nothing to prevent it or stop it, you need to increase your Protein, Biotin doesn't slow it down, and it's a COMPLETELY normal part of the process that many of us don't know about until it happens and then we freak out. So give yourself some grace and just know this is normal. You're doing great, and we're all here for you, just like everyone was here for me

There are some cute ways to put a rubber band on the inside of tops too that creates a cute design while pulling it in to be more form fitting. I’m sure you can find some of the fancier ways if you poked around online but the easiest I’ve seen is to turn it inside out and put a small hair tie or whatever off to the side around the belly button area. You can also do it in the back and near the bottom then tuck it under. It actually looked really cute in the tutorial. They also sell waist tightener clips for pants.

I agree with others that it’s normal and it will slow down and stop eventually. I remember that phase all too well. I couldn’t really see the loss in the mirror but I hurt my back pretty bad and was down for a while. Before I vacuumed I noticed the hair collecting near all the baseboards and.i was horrified. I never lost enough for anyone else to notice either. It just seemed like I was going to. Just keep getting that protein in and you will be fine.

It's normal and will eventually slow down. Mine stopped after my first surgery around month 9. After my revision, around month 11. I cut my hair shorter this time around and it REALLY helped. I also use thickening and volumizing shampoo and conditioner, and I changed up how I style my hair so the part at the top of my head isn't so obvious. For extra protein, add a protein shake in at some point during the day. Use it as one of your snacks, or have it right before bed. That will give you a ton of extra protein, which is what your hair needs to grow. Hair can't produce protein, even though it needs it. Biotin helps hair be healthy but does not reduce hair loss or promote growth. Same with collagen and keratin. Only thing that really helps is protein. But I promise, no matter how it feels, you won't go bald.

Temporary hair loss is very common after surgery. Your body is going through a lot is stress: the surgery, reduced food intake, weight loss, anaesthetic, hormonal flushes & changes, etc. The result is a temporary acceleration of your natural hair loss cycle. It actually can occur after child birth, periods of extreme stress, other more major surgeries, etc. The hair you are losing is dead & you were going to lose it anyway just not as quickly. You can’t stop it. Or slow it down. Some people will suggest adding additional supplements but this period of hair loss still lasts about 4 month -/+ regardless of taking the additional supplements or not. Those supplements won’t help hair that is already dead. As long as you’re taking the vitamins your team recommends & are meeting your protein & other nutritional goals, you don’t need to do anything else. Your new hair is still growing just at its usual rate & it is only this new growth that may benefit from the supplements. How much you’ll lose is very individual & you can’t predict it. You may lose more if it’s summer (when we usually shed more hair) or if you are in your 7 year hair shedding cycle (just went through mine again & was losing a lot more than usual). Try cutting off some of your length if you have longer hair. Many of us do this so the new growth reaches the length of the old growth more quickly. And shorter hair is always bouncier & looks fuller than long. I decided some temporary hair loss is a small price to pay for the benefits of your weight loss. Oh, and try not to stress too much - it only adds to the stress your body is already under which influences the hair loss. PS: You can update your weight by scrolling to near the bottom of this page. You’ll see a section titled Together we have lost… Add your current weight & click Update Your Weight. It will display the next time you start a thread or respond to a post.

I am 4 months out. I had sleeve into bypass. I can’t figure had to change weight yet on this site. I lost 50 pounds. I can’t believe the hair I am losing. I’m freaking going bald. Taking vitamins but 65 grams of protein a bit difficult for me. I get around 55. I can’t force the food. I talked with doc and they said it’s common to lose hair but he said it’s a lot. Try more protein. Ugh! So frustrated!

I have learned to deflect. - Aw thanks, I had a coat like that in the 60's Aw thanks, do you know you have something stuck in your teeth ? Aw thanks, I really wanted to say, did I see your husband/ wife at that charity singles dance last week ? He really is a good dancer. Aw thanks, Did you cut your own hair ? Aw thanks, I really needed a laugh today, I love it when people have been gossiping about me. I wonder who they are leaving alone today ?

TW: mental health issues, suicide, infertility I've gotten those comments already (only 3 months in, and nowhere near my goal weight), and in the past during other diet-based weight loss. I used to try to convince myself that these people mean well, that they're trying to show they care, or trying to give backhanded compliments. 2024 me? Nah. They're being petty, they're being bullies, they're jealous, they feel like your success highlights any issues they fault with their own body, etc. The only time I successfully lost weight 'on my own' through diet and exercise, I ended up gaining it all back and more -- and while I logically know it was my own choices that led to it, there was also my 'best friend' telling me that I looked like I was dying, that I looked like a cancer patient, etc, and then inviting me over and peer pressuring me into the most unhealthy foods. I was young and I had always been easily intimated / manipulated by her; I had always had **** self esteem and found my own value only through what others said they valued of me, etc. I know I was in a bad mental place to begin with. But it was absolutely brutal. But nobody, nobody, should be saying these kinds of things to another. Whether you're close to each other or barely know each other. Whether they're 'teasing' or not. It would be absolutely awesome if the world / society could normalize not making un-asked for comments about other people's looks. How about we apply 'consent' when it comes to these sorts of conversations? FFS. I'm sure I'm not the only one whom has had comments made while they were overweight. People, strangers, asking if you're pregnant, if you're female presenting. ((Afterwards, I always wished I could go back in time and cause a scene -- cause no, asshat, I'm actually unable to have children and it ruined several relationships and led to depression and suicidal ideation. But thanks for giving me that extra scoop of pasta sauce since it looks like I'm "eating for two.")) So many people have body issues, weight related or otherwise. Body dysmorphia. Mental health issues. Triggers. And what right does any person have to comment on someone else's appearance? If someone wants to go to the grocery store in their pjs, what's it to you? If someone got a new hair cut and you really don't like it, stfu. If someone lost over half their body weight, why do you feel entitled to question them about it or tell them you liked them better with a little more meat on their bones? (Not... you. You know. Societal 'You'.) There's a big difference between saying "Wow, you're looking good today" or "Is that a new shirt? It looks great on you" and letting the compliment receiver decide if they want to open the conversation up from there, and saying things like "Oh god, you're losing so much you're gonna disappear" or "ugh, you're losing so much weight, enough already." ... anyway. I'll end my venting-vomit with: I'm trying so hard these days to have the confidence in setting my own boundaries and actually enforcing them. I'm starting to figure out lines I can say when people cross them. I'm trying not to let my inner rage at a world full of entitled bullies make me someone who bullies back, but yeah, maybe next time someone seems fit to complain about my looks I'll find something they probably don't want to talk about either. If I'm fair game, so are they. Eat some karma. 😈

Thank you for the reassurance and encouragement! I suppose it’s good that these things are happening now so that I can raise these concerns with the Bariatric team when the time comes. Hopefully my complaint will be addressed and I will be able to discuss my concerns with the surgery without losing my rag (hair-trigger at times - thanks menopause!)

I have been using Nioxin Stage 3, I do a bayalge with blond every 3 ish months and I will say using the shampoo, conditioner and scalp treatment REALLY REALLY helped! I also put a Rosemary oil in my hair the night before hair wash day (I only wash my hair 2x a week) My shedding IS SIGNIFIGANTLY less. I also use 2 TBLS of collagen in my profee every morning along and biotin with my morning vitamins.

How frustrating. Once it recognized you they should have let you restyle your hair and take another one. It’s kinda scary that we are so reliant on technology they don’t know what to do when there is an outlier like that.

Had to get a new driver’s licence today. They took the new picture which is then run through a facial recognition program where your new photo is compared to your old licence photo as proof of identity. Program runs & runs & runs. Comes back it’s not me. (Well it was when I looked in the mirror this morning.) Had to have another photo taken & had to pull my hair back. (Great. This will be my licence photo for years.) Again the program runs & runs & I’m sitting there with the woman processing my request waiting & waiting. I asked if there was an override to this step. No she says. What happens if it still doesn’t recognise me? We keep taking pictures until it does or the license can’t be issued she says. It does realise I’m 10 years older I ask then I realise: 10 years & 42kgs lighter. Oh… Thankfully, the program decided it was me with the second photo & my new licence will be sent to me in 21 days. (Don’t get me started on that. What happened to them producing the licence there & then & your new licence is warm from the laminated printing process.) Anyone else have unexpected experiences because of their weight loss?

I have read through so many posts on the topic of revision and see that people are mostly very happy to have gone through with it but a lot of them seem to be due to regain, hernias or bad GERD so my query is a bit different. My surgeon has mentioned a number of times to me about doing a revision from sleeve to bypass as following my surgery a year ago I had bad reflux. When I was released from hospital in November I was prescribed two pantomed (PPI) a day and since then GERD has become less frequent, for the last three months I am now on just one a day and I don't consider that the GERD impacts me, maybe once a week I might have a bit of gas, but the surgeon was still suggesting bypass and at my last appointment (in May) even mentioned that it would help me lose more weight, even though I was then just 5kg/11lb from the target he gave me and still only 10 months post-op. Given all the complications I had after my sleeve surgery in July last year I am very hesitant to have any further operations as I don't know if it was the medical teams fault and/or my body. If it is something that the surgeon says is needed I am torn between asking for a referral to another hospital or risking his team again in the belief that they would be extremely careful with me after everything that went wrong the year ago. So far, in just under 12 months, I have lost 47kg/103lb and am only 7kg/15lb away from my goal weight (3kg from the surgeon's target) and therefore I was wondering, from those who have gone through the revision process, if you think it is worth it? For me the only benefit I see is that I would be able to stop taking the daily pantomed, so not sure that is worth risking another surgery for. I have not had a single dumping episode and for the last few months have been able to tolerate all foods without issue so am a bit fearful that the bypass may lead to a backwards step on those fronts. If my GERD is not impacting me is there any other long-term benefit to the revision when I am still (slowly) losing weight? I don't want to go more than a few kg below my goal weight as it is not a good look on me. If there is no drastic weight loss, given so much has been achieved already, is there hair loss with the revision? Any insights would be appreciated as I have my one year check-up in a couple of weeks and I want to be prepared for when the topic is raised

Besides our usual daily hair loss, we also experiences more major hair loss cycle about every 7 years. (I just had one which was a bit scary). We also tend to shed more in summer than winter. I’m more conscious of my regular hair loss since my surgery & because I have a protein malabsorption issue. Maybe you’re more conscious of it too. Don’t forget stress & anxiety can increase hair loss too. As to vitamins, we get told so many different things & then we all have our own individual needs. For example with my sleeve I was only advised to take a multivitamin & vitamin D in the beginning. After a couple of months I was told to drop the vitamin D. At about 8 months, my surgeon okayed me dropping the multi vitamins too. But my blood work continues to come back fine (except for the protein 😩). I do take D3 in winter as my levels drop a little then. It’s a mouth spray which you may absorb better than capsules - worth a try. If you’re concerned about your iron levels, there’s nothing stopping you taking a supplement even if your doctor says not to worry. May be take them every second day to reduce the possible nausea & constipation side effects associated with iron supplements. There are studies saying taking iron on alternate days is actually better so …. Something to consider anyway.

I haven't lightened my hair since August due to the fact that I ended up damaging it and I don't want to use lightened anymore until my hair is healthy again. I only use a semi permanent color which won't damage because there's no developer in it. I dont go to the salon. I have my license so I do my own hair. I know our hair is made up of protein (keratin). I know my problem is not getting that protein in. Why do I struggle with it so much? The Collagen I take has biotin in it. I just wanted to know if there was something along with protein that would help. I take my vitamins.every day. Nothing came up in blood work saying I was lacking anything. I had blood work done in february and last month. Both came back good. I did cut off a good amount of my hair back in April I think it was. It was about 2 and a half to 3 inches. I also keep my hair up in a bun cause I don't like the way it looks down lol. I like it out of my face too tho

He wasn't concerned in that it was just slightly low - so he didn't feel a need to pump me full of more iron with a new level of pills to take. He didn't specifically say that doesn't think the iron is the reason for the hair loss. That is still up in the air and up to the dermatologist. I think when a man tells a doctor they are losing their hair - it is often an assumption of age (I am 53) or male pattern baldness or some more common issue. My blood work has been good overall, so I guess nothing is jumping out at him. I will let you know what happens. Thanks!

I had my surgery about 10 months ago and started losing my hair 6 months post-op. My hair was thick and curly and now its thin and the curl is not like it used to be. I started taking biotin, I'm using the OGX biotin and collagen shampoo and conditioner and now my husband got me the Spoiled Child biotin hair boost spray. I have baby hairs that have definitely grown in the last month, so maybe something is helping! I couldn't believe the amount of hair that came out in the beginning!! Thank god that only lasted about a month because I was scared I was going to have bald patches! For now I wear my hair up in a bun because I hate the way it looks when it is down.

If your ferritin level is OK, I wouldn't worry too much about the iron, esp if your surgeon hasn't said anything. Ferritin is the iron stores in your body that your body taps into if it's too low on iron. also, as far as people taking different amounts of supplements, it depends on the surgery (DS and RNY patients malabsorp vitamins and minerals, so they're usually required to take more of them than sleeve patients are), and as someone else said, after the initial few months post-op, how much you take is going to depend on your labs. If you're too low on something, you'll be told to take more of it; too high on something else, you'll probably be told to cut back. hair loss this far after surgery could be due to a lot of things (although I just read that iron deficiencies CAN cause it). Are you meeting your protein requirements? That can cause it, too.

I don’t know for certain how much of an iron deficiency you would need To cause hair loss but I assumed that your doctor does. I just figured If he said he wasn’t concerned and was referring you to a dermatologist then he had ruled out iron as the issue. I guess the easiest way to know for sure would be to increase your supplements though. Doctors aren’t always right after all. I really hope you figure it out soon. I can only imagine how scary it must be to not know the cause.