THE TRUTH !!!

HAIR LOSS ........ I WANT THE TRUTH.  HOW MUCH DID YOU LOSE?? HAVE YOU LOST YET?? WHEN DO YOU LOSE?? WHEN DOES IT COME BACK??  WHAT DID YOU TAKE!?  I AM A HAIR SNOB, AND WOULD LIKE TO AVOID THE LOSS OF MY 2ND BEST FRIEND!! (ALREADY LOST #1 = FOOD)  THANKS !! MORGAN

I was willing to resort to potions and magic to try to keep my little bit of hair.  I am taking 5000mcg of Biotin daily and using Nioxin shampoo and conditioner.  I have no idea if either will help but didn't want to risk it.  I just knew I didn't want to end up in the wig shop kicking myself because I didn't do everything I could to keep my wimpy little hairs attached to my head!  The only thing I can tell you is that it seems my hair is growing faster with the Biotin.  My beautician says the Nioxin will not keep the hair from falling out but may help with regrowth. 

I am 2 1/2 months out and haven't seen any real change in hair loss yet.  Hopefully I won't!  I really, really don't want to need a wig!  My hair is so thin to begin with if I lose much I will have to resort to a wig.  Not a pretty thought in 100+ degree heat!

WHERE CAN I GET THAT HIGH OF A DOSE?? MORGAN

My hair was also thin to begin with and I started losing it about 3 and 1/2 months out.  About the middle of December I started noticing hair in the bathtub.  I bought a wig but only wore it once.  It's growing back gradually. 

HappyCat is my sister so I'm doing the same thing she is - Biotin and Nioxin.  I can't remember where I got the Biotin but it is 5,000mcg and I think I got it at either CVS or Walgreens.  It's easy to find and cheap.  It's a capsule and we take it once a day.  Even though we're VSG'ers we still take a capsule.

I have no idea if it will work but I can't sit back and do nothing.  At least I'm trying!  I would not look good bald!  So far, so good at a little over 2 months out.  Everyone says that we don't really have control over who loses hair and who keeps it.  It's a gamble! 

At list I will be slimmer if I go bald!

I had a different surgery, but RNY usually have hair loss issues as well, sooo...  Pre-op, I had a LOT of hair...I mean I did New Jersey and TX proud with my coiffure.  I didn't tease it, I downright harassed it at times.  After surgery, i started losing a bit here and there, and switched to a shorter cut for a while, where I wasn't yanking at it all the time either.  I kept my protein high, didn't supplement with anything, and it was OK.  It got a lil thin where I would normally part it, so I flipped the part to the other side and it seemed to disguise things.    For me, the slight thinning happened bt 3-6 months out.  I notice that whenever my eating habits are lax and my protein and vitamin intake are suckin wind, my hair has a tendancy to thin a bit. 

I was like you, my hair was my closest friend.  If I couldn't make my body look good, at least my hair and makeup would rock, dammit!  lol  Don't worry, there are cute cuts that will disguise it, and many hairdressers can give you hints on supplements and rinses for your hair that make it appear to look fuller.  It will grow back.  Heck, my lost hair grew back quickly, and it brought lots of new, thicker friends, too!  LOL

Good luck!

Morgan, I started noticing hair loss at 4 months out. At first I was kinda worried about it and it  is scarry. At almost 4 months later it has slowed down. It hasn't been all that bad but you will think it is at first. Don't freak, okay? I started taking Biotin when it started coming out(2000 mcg).  I did a shorter cut basically just to keep me from running my fingers thru it and pulling it out. New growth has started. It has definately been worth the trade off.

Morgan, I started losing some hair at about 3 months out - I also have fine hair, and I had a feeling I would lose some. I just noticed that more hair was on my hands when I styled it, it wasn't anything like chunks of it coming out...It has stopped falling out already..I did start taking Biotin (2500 mg) per day, but I only started taking it about a month ago, and I wanted to try it to see if it would make my hair stronger in general ( I probably needed for many years before this!) - I think it may be working.....anyways, about the hair loss part, it was nothing drastic, but it is scary!

I didnt lose any hair, thank god lol..Why not try pre-natal vitamins? Arent those suppose to help hair grow back thicker?

Maybe you could get some extensions put in? At least that would make it appear that you have thick hair!

First of all, you can get Biotin at Wal-Mart in the pharmacy dept.  Secondly, I've been told it's all genetics and the way your body reacts to surgery. I've also been told you can't prevent it.

That being said, I started noticing in at 4 months out. I'm a redhead, and as a result of that, my hair is more dense than other colors, so it was never noticeable. In the beginning I would plug the drain after a week's worth of showers. Now, it's slowed down to only in my brush.

I tried taking the Biotin, but wasn't faithful to it, and it's taking up space on the cabinet. From my experience with Nioxin and my son's hair post chemo, I didn't even try it beause it didn't help John. It does and has helped others, though.

There are hair vitamins you can get from your stylist. I'm a product junkie, so all my shampoos and conditioners are straight from the Salon. I use Abba shampoo for color treated hair, even though this red is natural (dang it) and Enjoi hair masque once per week. I lay that on heavy. I even use a blow dryer and flat iron, but not every day with the flat iron.

So it all depends on your own body how much you'll lose, but I doubt you'll lose enough to think you're going bald.