HAIR LOSS???

I recently had my surgery on July 19th and I find this messageboard extremely helpful and informative....Thanks to you all!! My question is this....if someone is going to have hair loss, when do you actually start to notice....two, three, four or more months in??? I havent had any yet ....was just wondering! Thanks again and good luck to all! Missy

Hi Missy Welcome to the boards. I'm also curious as mine hasn't started yet and I keep wondering. I think everyone is different, though. I'll be watching to see what the others say too. Dianne

Hi Missy, I really see the hair loss issue as being a genetic roll of the dice. There are things you can do to help avoid it happening if you aren't prone to hairloss, such as getting in all your vitamins, protein etc. BUT in my opinion if you have that tendancy or genetic marker or whatever then nothing will stop it. I am the poster girl for WLS good behavior. I get all my protein and vitamins in, my labs are always perfect, diabetes and high blood pressure meds are a thing of the past. I exercise and make good food choices. I include essential fatty acids as well as biotin and zinc. My total cholesterol is now an awesome 157.... And my hair is falling out like crazy. It started at around 3-4 months out and has been steadily falling out since. All the treatments including special shampoo haven't done squat. lol not only is my hair thinner but my wallet is considerably thinner too! It seems to be slowing down some the last 2 weeks, but I've said THAT before too. Oh well, I'm not thrilled about having hair problems but when I compare that to all the health problems that no longer plague me, it seems so damn trivial. Don't get me wrong, I'm as vain as the next woman when it comes to my hair and I have always taken good care of it. It does upset me at times, but overall I just take it in stride. I can always buy a wig If my fairy god mother were to appear and tell me with a wave of her wand I can either be fat with great hair or skinny and healthy but bald...I guess I'll just have to have her wave the wand and drop me off at Ye Olde Wig Shoppe Linda

Missy, I started losing hair around 6 months. I'm happy to report that it is coming back in. Take the biotin and zinc. And most of all, don't worry about it, the stress can make it worse. Deb

Deb, First off, congrats on the great stats!!! I remember meeting you at PMRI's Shopwell Class (several months before my surgery and I THINK a couple months after yours) and being VERY impressed with your knowledge and determination. It sure paid off for you! I just hope I can be as diligent! (I'm 40 pounds off at a little over two months.) Anyway, my question is about this hair loss thing. Do you think biotin and zinc can be used as a preventative? Even before my surgery, I felt like my hair was getting thin in spots. I don't think it's gotten any worse since surgery and I don't see it falling out. BUT of course every time I look in the mirror to style my hair I see the "thinnies." I'm scared I actually might start losing it MORE as time goes on. Any thoughts on this? Thanks!

Hey Missy, How have you been? Angie

Missy, Mine started falling out around 3 months post-op..then got pretty bad...I have fine hair. My labs aren't great..I'm still working on them...I've increased my protein drinks and protein(food)..that seems to be helping. I'm at 7 months post-op now..and I have lots of one inch hairs on my head..thank goodness! Its coming back! I'm still losing a little...but not handfuls anymore..and my shower is very thankful! Like Linda said...I'll take this...over being where I was. I did think about wigs...My hair loss is mainly in the front and top..so, I could really notice it. I even cut my hair...and that helped in my case. Like everyone says..don't stress over it. I'm used to having lots of thick, fine hair...and its coming back! I did use Nioxin..and that may have helped..I don't know.. I do know...that its helping my husband! His hair has new sprouts..where he had lost hair (he did not have WLS). Continued good luck....sounds like you are doing great! Hugs, Kimberly

Hi Kimberly. So glad the Nioxin is helping you & your hubby. Amazing isn't it. The Nioxin stimulates new hair growth. My new growth is coming in grey. I'll take it. I have my husband using it too. It usually takes a couple of months to see all the new angel hairs around the scalp. Now if I could make my hair feel like hair, the chlorine from the pool is making it so dry. I do use clarifing shampoo for the dryness. Call me stupid, but I am vain when it comes to hair. I did find a wig site just in case. So far I haven't had to order one yet. But I found a couple that look pretty sexy. I might order one and surprise everyone at a meeting. Who knows?? I'm still in Texas. I was in Galveston for 3 days, now in Houston. Going home tomorrow. TT you soon. ((HUGS)) Elissa

I too had major hair loss... You could see my shiny scalp. I started loosing the hair about 4 months out. I could not eat very much do to complications that I had from the get go. My hair would come out in globs. When getting out of the shower I would have a nice golf ball size of hair to clean off the drain. My hair used to be halfway down my back. I went to the hair dresser and they cut me super short about 8 months after my surgery. Soon enough I started to see little hairs sticking up one by one. I now have a nice, healthy, thick head of hair... not to mention super straight now too. I'm in the process of letting it grow all one length again. I do miss being able to pull it up in a ponytail... but the time will come again, slowly but surely. I would lose all my hair if I had to... I wouldn't trade anything that I went thru for this surgery! My "new" life is WONDERFUL and keeps getting better and better everyday!!!!!!!

started loosing mine about 3-4 months out. Still loosing but I havent taken my zinc or biotin like I am supposed to either and my hair is getting super long too that may cause a little more to come out as well. But I sure hope it stops soon! Elizabeth M