Does anyone else have trouble with dry skin and my hair is thinning?

HI Donna, God Bless you on this journey and you are right I think sometimes that the slower loss can be a plus...I still have some sagging skin but I have been going to Curves and it seems to have helped some...It's only been a month so maybe with some time the extra skin will firm up... This surgery is a God send and I thank God for it...Congradulations on your weight loss and continued success..NannaS

Well I too have had a hair loss problem. But the loss is slowing down and I am doing good things to me hair. I cut it in layers and made it shorter. My hair dresser suggested that my thick curly hair would benefit from a cut and releave some of the pressure on the roots. My hair dresser and facialist showed me how to massage my scalp and I do this every day. I do not brush my hair, but use my fingers to style my curly hair. I use moisture products. One I got from Sephora.com called Frekka an olive oil based rub in cream that I use daily. Fantastic. I also use an olive oil based hair mask once a week. I got the mask from Avon. I am very happy how my hair is now doing. I take my vitamins and I drink 64+ oz of water a day. For the first time in my life I have no dry skin anymore. As a diabetic and a hypothyroid (21 years) sufferer I have had very dry skin. Skin that flaked, crusted over, bleed, itched you name it. But after surgery with all the water I am drinking each day, all day and evening my dry skin is gone all over. I am very pleased. I use the new Jergen Glow as a mositurizer and I use Avon's olive oil skin spray. But I really feel that the water is the secret. Hydrated inside and out. Good luck and happy mothers day December crew. Monica

Thank you Monica and Happy Mother's Day to you also. It sounds like your doing all the right things and they are wonderful suggestions that I will try out. I think alot of my problem is the liquid. I get plenty in but instead of just plain H2O I drink alot of decafe coffee...maybe it isn't as good for me. But since the decafe was on my list as being counted as my liquid intake I thought it would be just as good. Best of luck to you and God Bless you. NannaS

Hi Nanna, Thanks so much for your post. When I see how others have lost twice as much as I have in the same amount of time, I can't help but get a little freaked out also. However, I muffle the negative thinking and force myself to look at the fact that I've lost 55 pounds in less than 5 months! I NEVER could have done this on my own, prior to WLS. Then when I come across a post like yours, I breathe a sigh of relief and know that I'm not alone... actually, I think there are quite a few of us that consider ourselves "slow" losers. Talk to someone who hasn't had the surgery and it puts it all into perspective again! It's NOT slow in the land of non-WLS. About the hair loss, WHOA! How horrible is that? I've found that after I get my hair colored (I'm prematurely gray... yes... even though I'm 45 years old, I still think it's premature!) it feels thicker and in better condition. I'm also using Nioxin products (shampoo, etc.), which WLS'ers say doesn't help, but I love the fragrance and how it makes my hair feel, so what the heck! I also take two Flax Oil gelcaps a day, which I think is helping alot with the dry skin. I was originally taking it for the hair loss, along with biotin, but I've concluded that nothing will keep the hair from falling out. It's just going to happen. I haven't stopped taking the flax because I think it helps with skin dryness. I've been ASSURED the hair will grow back. Everyone tells me that, so I have to believe it, for my own sanity! I think you're doing amazing and I'm VERY proud of you! Please catch yourself from getting frustrated about the "slow" weightloss. It's an amazing accomplishment and you should be very proud and happy with yourself. Good luck to you and Happy Mother's Day (if applicable). Martha O 287/232/healthy bmi

Martha, Thank you for your wonderful post and your words of encouragement. It is people like you that make this journey so much easier and helps keep us looking ahead with hope in our hearts...God Bless you. I am also very proud of you and your weight loss and you keep up the good work. Thank you for the Happy Mother's day wishes and to you also. Best of everything to you in this journey. NannaS

I am dealing with the skin issue by applying Avon "Skin So Soft" every morning in the shower. I started taking Biotin for my hair at 4 months and my hair grows too fast now after just three weeks on the Biotin. I also read that more protein can resolve skin and hair issues. I increased my protein to 100 grams after one month post-op and have recently increased my intake to 120 grams per day. I have been drinking decafe coffee since one month post-op. I have found that the extra protein and being religious about the water helps with weight loss plateaus. I am a 12-14-05 baby and I have lost over 90 pounds. 287/195/170

Hi Gary, And Wow on the 90 lb weight loss...That is great...!!!! Congradulations to you...I am very proud of you. What exactly is Biotin and do you need a script to get it? Sounds like something I'd like to try. I did buy some Keri bath oil and it seems to have helped with my dry skin. Also Gary are you drinking the decafe coffee as part of your liquid intake (in place of water)? If you do and it's working for you then I'm okay with my decafe coffee. Do you drink protein drinks to get in all that protein each day? And what about the calories...I drink two a day and it puts me to 600 calories for those drinks alone...And my doctor only wants me to get 800 calories a day...I try to stay close to that number but sometimes I go over...I usually only eat one meal a day and have a snack of Quaker Q-smart rice cakes (cheddar cheese flavor) and that gives me another 14 g of protein and they only have 120 calories... Thank you for your advice and your encouragement. I wish you continued success with your weight loss. God Bless you. NannaS