Hair never grew back.

[brittanykins 22]

I'm a year and almost two months out. I lost about half of my hair a few months after surgery. It's showing no signs of growing back either. How long has it taken everyone else for their hair to grow back in?

I'm starting to become very worried that it won't ever come back, since 6 years ago I had another bout of Hair loss. My hair used to be so thick that I WISHED half of it would fall out. Then it did and never grew back. Now it's halved again and I have about 1/4 of the hair I used to have. Thinking back on it, around the time of the first shed, I had also had gallbladder surgery. I assumed the hair loss then was from going vegetarian, but now that I know surgery can cause hair loss, I realize that was probably what caused it. I'm worried that I'm going to be balding by my 30's. You can already see my scalp through my hair, and although my body looks a lot better, I still look like crap every time I look in the mirror because of how horrible my thin hair looks.

[Bufflehead 6,358]

@@brittanykins I'm so sorry you had to go through this. I know how hard it is because I lost more than half my hair prior to surgery as well, just due to bad genetics. It really can cause a lot of stress and unhappiness to look in the mirror and see your scalp showing through and things like that.

Here are some tips I picked up along the way to hide thinning hair:

--get your hair cut shorter

--use a side part and get your hair cut in layers

--use a headband to push your hair back and cover the thin spots

--use products such as Toppik and Nanogen to cover the thin spots (they really do work!)

--if you have lost so much hair that even Toppik and Nanogen can't completely hide the Hair loss, you may want to think about more serious solutions like wigs and toppers. There aren't many people who are excited about that sort of thing -- it seems really drastic, and like something we associate with people who are either deathly ill or very elderly. Not that there is anything wrong with being sick or old, but when you are otherwise young and healthy it's just not something you imagined doing! I ended up getting a topper which was a hard step for me to take but now that I have it, I absolutely love it and feel so much better about myself. But if you haven't experimented with haircuts and cosmetic products like Nanogen that's where I would start. Good luck!

Edited October 10, 2014 by Bufflehead

[oolismom 30]

Hey brittanykins....

Beings you're a vegetarian isn't there a supplement for hair like Biotin that you would take??? I have many friends who are vegan/vegatarians etc, and it seems like they took Vitamin supplements for their hair and nails. I took this a year before surgery and nails grow fine and a little hair comes out here and there but I'm like you I have so much of it....It scares me that I might lose too much so as soon as I can get my head back on straight I'm going back to the Biotin...And I do wear my hair short and spikey like so to conceal some of that....But i'm used to thick hair and want to kepp it too....I haven't seen where the Shampoo kits have made a difference in my Moms thinning hair so I can't recommend any of those, someone else maybe could I just haven't seen any results of proof....I know too sometimes I used Coconut oil as a scalp treatment/conditioner maybe that could help...But stay true to your natural stuff ask at the health food places, but you want to see some actual results....Why, if we have to lose our hair, why could it not have been our mustaches or leg hairs some place that requires waxing for cryin out loud.....lolo

kim

[FairySleeve 297]

I lost a lot of my hair in the past month and I didn't have a lot before surgery already *sigh*

Anyway, I went to see my doctor and he ordered the blood test to see if I lack of Iron or something and we'll deal with it.

Meanwhile, I'm giving a serious thought for a wig!!

[Forsythia 882]

Have you tried using something like Keranique or Rogaine for women? You can get those in a place like Ulta. I've always had thin, fine hair (which is curly despite my picture), but have had no real loss as of yet. I eat a lot of red meat. Not sure if that makes a difference in my case or not.

Besides surgery, check your Vitamin A level. If your Vitamin A level is too high, it can cause Hair loss. If that is contributing you might want to adjust your vitamins!

[BitterSweet* 835]

@@brittanykins, unfortunately it probably will not grow back. In 14 months, your hair has gone through near 2 complete grow and lose cycles and would've started growing back in by now. I of course could be wrong, but I speak from multiple experiences with Hair loss and a medical background.

Get a referral to see a dermatolgist just to be certain nothing is being overlooked, and have your PCP check your blood work again (if you're behind in that); specifically checking for anemia and low thyroid function.

As others have suggested, Toppik can help with concealment, and you may end up needing to use Rogaine.....for life. Rogaine is the only product available that can actually regrow hair. All of the other products help when hair is actually growing, but will not cause regrowth. It sucks. It's painful, and I wish I could be thin and still have my beautiful hair. It aint happening.......

[FairySleeve 297]

Okay, I just took a blood test yesterday because my doctor thought that I'm losing hair because of I lack of Iron but.. apparently my iron level is sky high!! now I'm worried!!

*sigh* I'm going back to see him next week to see what kind of treatment he can offer me to treat my hair lost.

[JCP 619]

Before surgery, my dermatologist said I had lost half my hair (genetics). He recommended rogaine for men as the dose is higher. But I am giving supplements a try first.

[brittanykins 22]

I am going to try taking Iron supplements regularly because I have always have very low Iron levels in my blood work. I have never been good with keeping up with the Vitamins.

I do have results from Biotin, but only with the hair I already have. It makes my hair (and nails) grow very fast, but does not help the lost hair come back in.

[BitterSweet* 835]

Same here, that's why I use Rogaine now.

[brittanykins 22]

You know what, I think I'm going to give rogaine a try.

[BitterSweet* 835]

If I can figure out how to post a pic, I'll attach a before & after Rogaine pic for you.

[BitterSweet* 835]

Inbox me your email or phone number and I'll send the pics to you.