Hair Loss

[bigkim 109]

I schedule my surg tomorrow, but I wanted to know if anyone has experience "hair Loss"?

I have short hair and not much to spare.

[twoboysandagirl 109]

Yes, I did experience hair loss...I had really thick hair prior to surgery...I would say I lost 1/2 of the volume but...not everyone does. And most importantly it is temporary. It is almost all back now and almost as healthy as before ( a little dryer). I started taking B-beautiful chewable supplements at about 5 months out. It doesnt help with Hair loss but it helps with regrowth.

[Khy 16]

Yes I had Hair loss. It has recently stopped falling out so much. I don't know whether it is because I don't have much more to lose or maybe I am over that phase. I keep hoping it will grow back.

Khy

[amencorner 2]

I hate to hear that. I heard the same thing from a friend who had the surgery in July 2010 and she said one of her coworkers who also had the surgery experienced hair loss as well.

I had not heard from anyone else so thanks for this post. Just one more thing I have to be on the lookout for. Ugh!

[former_vbg 198]

I did as well and fortunately had thick hair before surgery. I think I lost a bit more than half my volume which was really tough. I felt like a shedding dog, all over my clothes constantly, after a shower, etc... I would say just now in the past month have I noticed that it is starting to come back and feels stronger. I have shoulder length hair. Some people say taking folic acid helps, you might talk to your Dr. to see what he might suggest.

[clm91108 1]

I am having handfulls of hair fall out when I take a shower or brush my hair. Everyone tells me that the Protein is the key to not losing your hair but it's really hard for me to take. I do take Biotin when helps with regrowth and my doctor told me its normal to lose your hair when you have drastic weight lose. So yes be prepared to lose some hair :-(

[LovetheBeach 3]

I have a dr I see for something other than weight loss. He is like Dr House from the tv show ( except much nicer). He is so smart and is just a walking book of all kinds of knowledge and facts. He is helping me with the surgery and supporting me through this ( having my surgery in may ). He swears by taking B-5, B-12, and rubbing lavender on your scalp, the Hair loss will not happen or be much much less. Again I haven't had my surgery yet so I don't know if it works but I promise I will be doing this before surgery just in case. He truly is the most educated/ smartest person I know. Hope this is helpful for someone!

[ThisTimeIsIt 71]

The 2 girls here at work who had the surgery lost a lot of hair too! I'm still post op but hoping to avoid Hair loss if at all possible - I already have thin baby fine hair & can't imagine having less hair than I already do - I'd probably have to invest in a wig lol

[jasleeve 440]

im 3months post op & im already losing a lot of hair. not chunks but def losing hair. my hair was very thick & its thinner now. i pray it stops soon!!

[AnneG 7]

I got to 3 months post op and thought maybe I'd bypass the hair loss- but by 4 months it started falling out. Not in chunks or anything but I suddenly noticed a lot of hair accumilating in my hair brush and when I washed my hair I noticed that more than a few strands came out in my hands. I'm 6 months out and still losing- my thick curly hair is much thinner- and duller looking. I'm taking Iron, Biotin and b-12 and a Multivitamin along with additional suppliments.

I expect it will stop in the next month or so. In the meantime I've just been enjoying being able to more easily style my hair in the straight flat hair do that is popular right now- and I don't wash it every day like I always have- I go a day or two between washes- and use the dry Shampoo to freshen it up- to try to keep from tugging and mussing with it so much.

[CoffeeBean 4]

My hair started falling out at 3 months. I'm now 6.5 months post surgery and it's still falling out. Have heard from others that is stops around 7 months. I hope so. I feel I've lost 25-35%. Fortunately I have very thick hair and noone has noticed except me. I'm grateful it is temporary.

[Writergirl 230]

i just read an interesting article (but can't find it, unfortunately) that explains this type of Hair loss. The doc said that your hair is always in 3 phases. One third old growth, one third new growth, and something else. Anyway, when your system sustains a shock, whether surgery, weight loss, a sudden death of someone close, etc., about 3 months later your one-third of new growth hair will just fall out. He said it's temporary and will grow back. I'm another one with very thin hair and am dreading this. I went through this about 15 years ago when I went off prednisone after being on a high dose for a year. The hair that grew back in was baby fine and silver. It's never been the same since. May have turned silver from being on prednisone, though, come to think of it!! I'm thinking I'll be wig shopping in another month or so, and am not liking the idea.

[Thomas CPA 496]

typically, almost everyone loses hair from months 4 to 6. I had a bit and now in month 7 soon to 8 and hair has come back.

I take Biotin, use Celluar hair products and knock-off rogaine. Gotten a few clients recently tell me I look like the person drawn in the painting done back in 1986.

I have noticed while hair is thicker now it does not grow as fast so it is remaining relatively short - cuts down on barber shop costs.

[Swimmer 199]

This is the part I dread the most, though I thankfully have thick hair. Has anybody a year out or more not had to deal with this?

[Wheetsin 714]

This probably won't make you feel better, but I've never met a bariatric patient who didn't lose hair. I'm not syaing they don't exist somewhere, but I've never met one. The hairloss is a systemic issue so there's really no single thing you can do to prevent it. There's also really no external thing you can do that's going to help much (I"ve seen people spending $$$ on special shampoos, leave-in treatments, etc.)

A lot of people think it's because of the anesthesia. Anesthesia can cause it, but it isn't a rule by any means. Look at me as an example:

Lapband put in - lost hair

Gallbladder taken out - did not lose hair

Lapband taken out - did not lose hair

Systemic and largely dietary and reactionary in nature.