What did you do? How did you feel? Question for Vets.

Let's talk about hair loss.  As I've mentioned before, my hair started a major shedding process during my supervised weight loss phase.  It started in December and continues today.  My surgery was 4/13 and the shedding has even increased now.  It's disturbing to see your hair falling out regardless of who you are!  I'm really toying with getting it chopped off.  I have shoulder length, thick hair that is naturally curly.  My hair has always defined me - even when morbidly obese.  It's always been that one thing I know I'll get tons of compliments on.  It's the joke with my friends that when we go somewhere I will have at least 2-3 people give me a hair compliment - and that's typically true.  So why would I want to chop it off?  Being overweight, I've never felt I've had the face to pull off a shorter hairstyle.  I kept my hair in the style that rendered me compliments and made me feel pretty even when my body felt gross.  I think now, with the shedding, I feel like cutting it off might be a bit freeing and letting go of that mentality and just focusing on the fact that I've changed.  My body has changed.  I think it would feel empowering to chop it off and let that piece go (yet I'm scared I'll wind up looking horrific - like a curly mushroom head)! What to do?  Chopping it off would lessen the shedding - well it would make it less obvious anyway.  Less hair = less hair in the drain = less stress seeing it in the drain.  Hair grows back, right?  I have an appointment for a cut/color on Wednesday next week.  I will make my decision by then.  Thoughts from others on how you feel about the hair cutting or what you did with your hair as you continued to lose weight?

JC

I have fine hair, on the thin side,.  I always kept it about miud back so that I could keep it off my neck.  Don't like being hot.  I felt that it was probably going to shed like a lot of post surgery people so I made the dexision to get it cut.  My VSG was 3/11/15 and it hadn't started shedding yet.  But on June 2nd, I went and got it cut.  (I figured it would grow back eventually).  I am 65 yrs of age and thought that maybe it was time,  I don't regret it at all.  It is "wash n go" style just about earlobe length, slightly layered.  It actually is so easy to take care of.  So.... good luck in your decision.  Maybe it is time for a new mindset and a change.  

Thank you for sharing your experience with hair loss and how you approached things. I agree that a new mindset and change could be exactly what I need 

JC

You have absolutely gorgeous hair! Remember it grows back so don't let the loss freak you out! :)

You already know my response! Chop it off.....coming from the girl who chopped it off! lol! With that being said talk to you stylist and if you don't want to cut it all off then add some layers or maybe some bangs!! Don't be afraid to make a little change!! Keep me in the loop to what you do!

I keep saying that too - it's just hair!! I have never had short hair but think yours along with others just looks darling! I think cutting my hair and releasing that comfort zone would be freeing. I already have a load of layers so chopping it off might be that change I need. I'll keep you posted! Thanks!!

I can't wait to see what you do! No pressure! lol!

I got my wavy/curly hair chopped off into a pixie cut because my hair loss was so extreme...and I didn't have a ton of hair when I started.   I blow dried it straight (didn't take long) and kept it that way for months until my hair finally starting coming back in.  

Thanks Tracy! Yeah styling it different might be a good idea to avoid the mushroom look - ha!!

I had short-ish hair before surgery, but went full pixie afterwards. It did help quite a bit with hiding the hair loss, especially since I could fill in the sparse patches with powder, and as my hair grew back it was all the same length!

I'd suggest asking your stylist for an opinion, they're really good about figuring what styles would look best for your face/body shape. They're the experts after all! :)

I bet the pixie did hide the loss so much better.  I have talked to my stylist too and she feels she can make any of it work for me - just warned me I may have to style it differently than I do now because my hair will just get more curly the shorter I cut.  I'm okay with a little more work there considering I think I just want to throw caution to the wind and change it up!