Hair loss and Loose skin

In the process of having bariatric surgery..what are your opinions, thoughts, and advice for dealing with hair loss and loose skin?

The fact is, there is nothing you can do about either skin or hair. Hair loss is from telogen effluvium, a result of the anesthesia. Beyong ensuring you get enough protein, your hair will either thin, or it won't. Not everyone's does. If it does, it will grow back.

Our large bodies don't just stretch our skin, we actually grow MORE skin. Losing weight doesn't lose the skin. Genetics, age, and length of time morbidly obese are factors. But if you lose enough weight, there is nothing you can do.

I'm 5'3", 57 years old, and started out weighing 360 pounds, which I weighed for decades. I knew going in that I was going to have a lot of excess skin. I cannot afford plastic surgery, so prior to surgery I accepted the fact that I will have excess skin for the rest of my life. My insurance will pay for a panniculectomy (removal of the hanging apron of belly skin), but the rest...neck, thighs, upper arms, back, saggy boobs...I have to live with. I'm okay with that, it beats the hell out of being super morbidly obese!! Besides, you cover it up with the right clothes and who cares? lol

As for hair loss, I have thin, fine hair anyway. I did experience hair loss starting at about 2.5 months...quite a bit to the point it was very noticeable along my hairline and the top of my head. I am now 7+ month out, and it's growing back nicely.

As Grim said, both are either going to happen or not. It's how you prepare yourself for the inevitability, and how you handle it afterward that counts.

Thank you so much!

On a personal note, I started taken Biotin and although I did loose hair, but it came back fuller, and when it was thin I cut it in a short pixie then grew it out,

I also noticed my nails (which where paper thin and brittle)

improved greatly...

as for the loose skin I do not know your age or how heavy you are,

that being said, yes you will probably have loose skin,

but this can be fixed if it annoys you with plastic surgery(ies)

and you can finance it, not a great solution, but it's an option

and the option I chose, I began 2 1\2 years after goal to obsess

about the how the loose skin was just sitting there mocking me,

waiting to fill up with fat again, I know that's just my head, but there it is..

Thank you GrayC for sharing your personal experience. I am 270 lbs 5'8 and looking to lose about 100 lbs. I have tons of belly fat. I am sure it will sag once I lose it. That's my biggest fear.

I worried about this incessantly before surgery. A lot of my weight was in my torso, and I started out a lot bigger than you. Yes, I have a lot of loose skin, but it's easy to hide. I just tuck it into my jeans or leggings and wear slightly oversized, long-ish tops. Only my husband and doctor know it's there (besides me). I can tell you though, that I would take this skin ANY DAY over weighing my former 372 lbs. ANY DAY. In retrospect, I can't even believe I wasted one brain cell worrying about that. My life is SO MUCH better now!

Use the search box at the top of the page to look for info on both of these topics. They come up frequently, and you'll see lots of good advice in old posts.

Thank you Julie I will.

There's no way to prevent or treat either, so you deal.

For hair, short layers help to blend in the new growth emerging. Telogen effluvium occurs 3-5 months after surgery and lasts 3-5 months and stops regardless of what vitamins, protein or shampoos you use. Any nutritional items will benefit the new growth, but not stop the existing hair from shedding.

For skin, shaping undergarments are huge confidence boosters.