Hair-less.....

[jcbydesign 0]

I know this must have been discussed a miillion times but I need some advice and reassurance...big time!

Once your hair starts falling out:

1) How long does this last?

2) How much do you generally loose?

3) When does it start to grow back?

4) Is there anything to do? Use? Not do or use? Anything to help to stop it and start it re-growing?

5) Is there anything to take or eat to help? Such as amounts of Protein to increase to or types of Vitamins or minerals to increase?

Where's the big hairy shedding dog hiding? Oh, no, that's ME!

Thanks from the the gal who wanted to be thinner, everywhere, BUT her hair! :think

[Bullwinkle 1]

I emailed my surgeon, Dr. Curry, because I had read online about thinning hair and Hair loss after being banded.

He emailed me back and said he's never had a patient experience hair loss after being banded, and he's done WELL over 150 bands.

[Kat817 19]

I would be inclined to think maybe since he has only done 150, that no one else had mentioned it to him. Hair loss following any big weight loss is very common. If you will go to the Search tab in the menu and search hair loss, you can find tons of people with the problem. I am 6 months out, mine just started within the last 4-6 weeks, and is getting pretty bad now. I had this happen when I lost 60+ pounds with Atkins too....so when they tell me "more protein!" I have to laugh, I lived on Protein with Atkins, and still lost it!! In that instance it shed for about 3 months, slowly tapering off in severity, and then began regrowing. It grew in fairly quickly, and was healthy as ever, now here we go again. The exciting thing is, when it grows back in this time, it will stay!!!

I feel like I have been on a roller coaster with my hair. I used to have long straight blonde hair. Then cancer struck, lost it to the chemo, and it grew in curly and darker. Then lost a ton of hair with Atkins, grew it back, at least it didn't change color and texture that time. And here we go one more time!!! It WILL be worth it!!!

Try the Search---you get lots of opinions....but nothing concrete. My Dr.'s both surgeon and fill Dr. say it is common with weight loss, one told me to take Biotin supplements, the other, just eat a healthy diet, it will grow back.

Good Luck!!!

Kat

[Bullwinkle 1]

Oh, so I guess it's a YMMV thing (your mileage may vary).

I, too, lost a lot of weight following Atkins (150+ pounds lost in 23 months), but I never experienced any hair loss.

Again, I guess it just depends on the person.

I meant to say that my surgeon as done over 1,500 bands. I left out a zero. You can read more about him here.

[Time2live 0]

I asked my doctor about this at my fill appt last week. I've been freaking out for the last month and a half because the amount of Hair loss is reeeeeally unbelievable. I can feel a huge difference when I put a scrunchy or elastic in my hair. I was very panicky(is that a word?) Anyways since I had provided him my food journal he said that he didn't think that my hair loss was due to nutritional problems. He said that some people will lose hair due to poor nutrition but that, in most cases the hair loss is due to the stress of surgery. That it usually begins around the 3 or 4 month mark and usually lasts for a few months and then seems to slow down. I have no idea how this compares to what other peoples doctors have told them but it definitely reassured me a little.

[beachgirl 2]

Mine comes out so bad in a bath that I have to scoop it all up with my hands and lay it on the side of the tub and I'm talking hands full. My hair was fairly long. So, I go get it all cut off to shoulder length, great, now I have to scoop up thousands of short hairs. Mine is coming out worse than my Mom's ever did with chemo, no joke.

[Parvathi 2]

The first time around, mine started falling out by the handful and lasted for about 4 months. Thankfully, I have a massively thick head of hair and although it was scary, I never could tell the difference. This time though, my hair is cut really short so I'm guessing if it starts coming out like it did before, I'll notice.

I know in the different Vitamin stores there are supplements you can get to make your hair/nails, longer, stronger, thicker, etc. I've not tried them though so can't vouch for how well they work. That said, when I was pregnant with my daughter and taking the prenatal Vitamins, my hair grew from a short boycut down to my midback in less than 9 months. It was a bit freaky lol.

Just know that it is normal and you're not alone. I've not ran into anyone yet who's lost all their hair due to being banded. It does stop after a few months.

Good luck

[S@ssen@ch 745]

I emailed my surgeon, Dr. Curry, because I had read online about thinning hair and Hair loss after being banded.

He emailed me back and said he's never had a patient experience hair loss after being banded, and he's done WELL over 150 bands.

No offense to Dr. Curry since he's my current doctor, but I find it hard to believe that he hasn't had one patient complain of hair loss since banding considering the number of weight loss surgeries he's done, especially banding. His own dietician that works with him (who is banded) has thin enough hair that I can see her scalp. There may be other reasons for her hair loss such as has alopecia, certain medications, hormonal imbalances, cancer treatments, etc but it was something I noticed.

I agree, hair loss is common with significant weight loss. It's also common after anesthesia. So those who are fairly new post ops you may notice some right away. Generally, it grows back. The key is to monitor your dietary intake of Vitamins and nutrients, get a balanced diet. I've heard wonderful things about Biotin although I've never taken it. Currently I use Nioxin Shampoo and scalp treatments and have had success with that. My own hair loss was probably at it's worst about 6 months to a year out. It has slowed and fortunately it never got so thin that I felt concerned.

[tribon 0]

I'm almost 5 months out and started losing my hair about a month ago. Luckily I have really thick hair and I'm the only one who has noticed (besides my DH who has to clear the bathroom drains). I usually have alot of loose hair after a shower but now it seems to fall out everywhere!

I'm going to get worried if it doesn't stop soon.

It would be just my luck that it will all grow back in gray !

[Kat817 19]

Yeah, mine continues to fall out as well, I shed all over my clothes, the furniture...almost burned up the vaccum!! It is definitely not starting the way it did with my chemo. Then I could lift my hand through my hair, and leave nothing behind. We finally shaved it, and used duct tape to remove the fuzz...was devastating at the time, sounds humorous now....or did when my hair was not falling out again!!!

Hate that y'all...or most of you, are going through it too, but I am also glad not to be alone!!!

Kat

[barbara465 2]

My hair started coming out about a 6 weeks ago. I can just run my fingers through my hair and see many strands clinging to my hand. My hair is short so it's hard to find all the hairs that I'm losing. When I blow dry my hair the strands fly to the bathtub. That's where I really noticed the accumulation. I hope it stops soon. I'm 5 months out so the stress of the surgery makes sense to me.

[Jachut 487]

I did notice increased shedding for a while and it was annoying, but then my hair is EVERYWHERE in this house anyway. No joke, empty the vacuum cannister, what's in there? Hair! Empty the Floormate reservoire (from mopping the hard floors for pete's sake) - what's in there? Hair! Brush the sofas with the fabric brush - what comes off? Hair! I shed like crazy, I dont know how I'm not bald. Perhaps its because its long that its noticeable.

But I never noticed thinning or my part widening or anything. I never took anything specifically for hair. I havent lost weight fast though, I think that makes a bit of a difference.

I tend to think it must be a hormonal thing, or generalised reduction in Vitamin or mineral intake, I think the Protein theory is bollocks. People lose hair on Atkins and similar diets more so than on regular ones.

[Telly 4]

1) How long does this last?

My hairloss started from May, 2006 - August, 2006

2) How much do you generally lose?

I lost alot of hair but did not go bald. Very thin hair. Maybe 35%

3) When does it start to grow back?

My surgery was April, 2006 and by August, it started to really fill in and grow back. I'd say approximately 4 months post op.

4) Is there anything to do? Use? Not do or use? Anything to help to stop it and start it re-growing?

I was taking 10,000 mcg of Biotin per day, that's 2 capsules. Biotin is Vit. B and it promotes growth of hair, skin and nails. I used Nioxin but it's expensive and my dermatologist prescribed me dermasoft for my scalp. It's an oil scalp treatment to promote regrowth. I am not sure if any of these products helped my hair to grow back. I can't tell you for sure, but I do know it's growing back and it's a possibility that the products helped. I had nothing to lose but more hair ...so why not try?

5) Is there anything to take or eat to help? Such as amounts of Protein to increase to or types of Vitamins or minerals to increase?

My doctor said that regardless of what I did, the hair was going to fall out once it started but to not change my eating. Just keep eating the 80g of Protein I was taking in daily and not change my routine. The hair follicles will grow back.

Check with your doctor. I was diagnosed with Telogen Effluvium, temporary hairloss due to acute body stress/shock and change in weightloss and or diet. The hair comes out by the bulb/root. You cannot mistaken it. The bulb is white and is at the end of your hair.

http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/telogen_effluvium.html

[jcbydesign 0]

I was feeling guilty thinking I hadn't eaten enough Protein...but how much can you stuff in within our calorie allowance? I think 45-60 is enough but then when the hair begins to make my house look like a sheep dog lives here....

I'll just keep on sweeping up, picking up and brushing off my hair and wait for it to come back...you never know, maybe I'll get a different color or some curls out of this. :biggrin1:

[jcbydesign 0]

I am so sorry to hear that you are all shedding...but it sure makes me feel better. I was freaked. :omg:

Now it's keep up the balanced diet, take some Biotin (why not?) and save the hair to knit a scarf!