Iron and Hair Loss

Is there any truth to hair loss and low iron levels. I just heard this. My hair is really thinning out very badly. I haven't gotten my iron levels back from the lab yet but what levels should I be looking for and what do you take for it, and will it help with the hair loss? Thanks all. sally

From what I understand from the medical professionals... hair loss is due to your body adjusting to the your weight loss. Our bodies store vitamins and use them for things like hair and nails. When those vitamins are gone due to the drastic change of food intake and now going to your vital organs, hair and nails are not vital... so for a short period of time you may see thinning. The doctors I have spoken too at SBC have informed me it is temporary and there is no way really to prevent or stop it and it happens to majority of the patients. I do not think it has to do anything with your Iron levels... that is your blood and whether or not your anemic (trying to remember from my days in nursing school). Protein is what helps your nails and hair grow. But I would ask your surgeon or PCP for more info.

Thank you Nicole, I guess I just freak out. Now I feel like I'm feeling great and looking better, but this hair loss thing has really got me down. It has gotten to the point where I could really see right through my hair in the sun. Thank you so much for taking the time to help me out with my problems. sally

Sally, Hair loss is often a side effect of "ANY" major surgery and is definitely one of the possibilities for anyone who loses a lot of weight quickly. Though some hair loss may happen now matter what's going on, there are definitely some helps. To those who are pre-op, I'd suggest starting to take Biotin (a form of vitamin B specifically for hair, skin and nails) as soon as possible and continue after surgery. Keeping protein grams high will also help.....shoot for over 80 grams daily; the ASBS (big pow wow of bariatric surgeons) suggests over 100 grams of protein daily. Low iron does not usually manifest itself with hair loss and since different standards of iron guidelines exist within labs, just find the "range" listed on your labs and target the highest range since that is generally "average" for bypass patients. I'm probably clear as mudd.....but, the short answer is to take Biotiin! And.....know that your hair will grow back and may even come back thicker! ....Some folks have had their's come in curly if it was straight or vice versa. .....I finally went in for a makeover and cut my hair while it was growing out all the new little fuzzies. Big Huggggzzz to you, Joyce

Joyce, I always enjoy your valuable advice. I usually have 95-110 grams of protein a day. I thought the only thing left it could be is my iron levels. I went in today to have my labs done for iron. I should know by Monday. All my other levels were excellent. Before surgery my blood sugar was 503, now it's 89-95 my A1C was 9.3, now it's 4.0. So my cholesterol is excellent and lipid profile came back normal. The only thing I didn't have done was my iron levels, so Monday we will see. Thank you Joyce. I would love to see your after "plastics" pictures. Have a great day. sally

Sally, Someday I'll take a few minutes and learn how to put pics on the sites. Give me a holler whenever you come to the Phoenix area...I'll buy you a teeny tiny lunch and show you my plastic results!!! Big Hugggz! Joyce P.S. Let us know about your iron and how you're doing!

You are just like me with the posting our profiles. Sounds like a date lady. I will definetly let everyone know how the results come out. sally

If you Google "Iron Hair Loss" there are many many articles that link low iron to hair loss. One of the ladies at support group weent through major hair loss issues again after she has plastic surgery--- she said she started taking Tender Iron and her hairloss stopped.... Many things do it... but low iron could too

I am definetly going to Google "Iron Hair Loss", because I am recently feeling a bit tired lately, and that is around the time that I noticed excessive amount of hair loss. To take Tender Iron do I need a prescription and where do I buy this at. Darlene, thank you so much, you are a beautiful person, have a great day. sally

You can buy tender iron from Vita lady's website: http://www.vitalady.com/