Questions About Hair Loss After WLS

I was wondering if all people experience hair loss after WLS?  It seems alot of ppl do and I was wondering if there was anything that could help add in not experiencing hair loss.

I am 40 and have thick, curly hair, but my hair has started to naturally lose some of it's volume over time w/ aging and I am kinda frightened about the chance of losing any more.

Any suggestions, advice and experiences would be grately appreciated~~~

thanks
pammie

Take Biotin.  Start now, and take it daily.

I'm 3 months out, and have not yet experienced hair loss.  I have very thick, coarse hair.  I really don't want to lose any.  I've been taking Biotin since before surgery. 


ETA:  Mother Nature is not real nice to us.  There are places where I would be happy to lose hair.  But noooooooooo.....  it comes out of our head.  Go figure.

Gotcha!!!
i would LOVE to lose that hair on my legs and never have to shave it or put it in dread locks again!!!
hahahaha!!!!

is that like a vitamin that i can get @ my local drug store?  or do i have to go to a specialty store??

thanks christie!

you should be able to get it at any drug store.  I bought my last bottle at Meijer's.  Good luck!

Tickle -

No sure how old you are, but menopause took care of the hairy leg/underarm problem for me!

                                                                                         

Hi Pam,

I am 5months out and have been losing some hair in the last 3 weeks.  I have been very careful to take all my vitamins and get my protein in. My surgeon said the hair loss is possibly due to the stress on the body of losing so much weight so quickly. I have lost 98 lbs in 5 months. It seems to be such an individual problem. Some lose some hair and some don't.  I am 44 and had a hysterectomy a year ago also. So mine could be a combination of things. 
I also take biotin.  I get it at walmart for like $3.50?? something like that.  Really inexpensive.  I have noticed my nails are stronger. 

My hair is pretty thick and straight. So the loss isn't really noticeable... yet... I am hoping it slows... or better yet stops soon.

Just remember... all of us are different and some of us will have this happen and some won't. 

Pammie,

I hear alot of people say take Biotin. Some swear by it. It didn't do anything for me. I think the combination of general anesthesia, which can be traumatic to the body, actually, and the rapid weight loss, just affects some people more than others.

My hair got very thin in front. I had shoulder length hair pre-op, and cut it all off short in march 2007, because I thought that would hide the loss better. It actually did. If it's going to happen to you it will happen. I don't think you can do much about it. I know that's no comfort, however, it does grow back. My stylist kept saying I had breakage, and I would smile and say, "No it's new hair." My hair is just a thick now as it was pre-op.

No, I hated thinning hair when I had it. Would I have stayed morbidly obese though to keep my hair? NO WAY. It's been worth it.

I think the rapid weight loss is the key reason for hair loss.  I know, I lost 80 lbs a few years ago on the ATkins diet and had some hair loss.  It wasn't alot--not even noticeable except I was shedding when I blow dried it.  I also noticed it at about 4 months postop, but again it was not noticeable to anyone else and I couldn't even tell it by the thickness of my hair.  Now, it has stopped.  I think the amount you lose is based on your own body chemistry and how your body responds to the stress of losing alot of weight quickly.

thanks for all of the experiences, suggestions and advice...
i think im gonna take biotin...
got nothin' to lose

thanks again guys!
pammie

Pam,

I was so afraid that I would lose alot of hair, I started taken Biotin 6 months or more before my surgery, I still experience shedding, but my hair is more healthier now then ever.  Like you said, no harm in taking Biotin.  I still take it daily and I am 3 years out.

Peggy