Hair loss?
Alright, shoot straight with me folks. I know hair loss *can* happen, but I was told by my friend who is a WLS vet that I should lose the "can happen" & accept that it WILL happen.
Is this true? My friend told me I should just cut my hair short and then grow it out after my loss stage rolls around.
Call me vain, but I have nearly waist length thick curly hair, and I really don't want to lose it. I just want to be prepared if the chances are high that it will happen, regardless.
Is this true? My friend told me I should just cut my hair short and then grow it out after my loss stage rolls around.
Call me vain, but I have nearly waist length thick curly hair, and I really don't want to lose it. I just want to be prepared if the chances are high that it will happen, regardless.
Heather,
I had shoulder-length THICK hair pre-op. My hair loss happened around month 4 and lasted to month 7. Its a bit alarming at first, yes. I kept a big gob of hair in my shower just so i could see how much really came out during that time. My cat attacked it once - thinking it was some kind of animal! Ha!
Anyhow, my hair has stopped falling out. Its a bit thinner now but not too noticeable. I've been to several hairdressers who I told I had hair fall out and they said they couldn't even tell! So...my advice to you is to take a hair, skin and nails formula post-op. It will help minimize the loss but the loss most likely WILL happen. Just prepare yourself. And it does grow back. Don't go cutting anything. Since you already have long, thick hair, you will most likely be the only one to notice!
I had shoulder-length THICK hair pre-op. My hair loss happened around month 4 and lasted to month 7. Its a bit alarming at first, yes. I kept a big gob of hair in my shower just so i could see how much really came out during that time. My cat attacked it once - thinking it was some kind of animal! Ha!
Anyhow, my hair has stopped falling out. Its a bit thinner now but not too noticeable. I've been to several hairdressers who I told I had hair fall out and they said they couldn't even tell! So...my advice to you is to take a hair, skin and nails formula post-op. It will help minimize the loss but the loss most likely WILL happen. Just prepare yourself. And it does grow back. Don't go cutting anything. Since you already have long, thick hair, you will most likely be the only one to notice!
DarcyMad
Surgery Date: 11/15/2010
Jewel506 is my Angel!
Angel to Kristi (Momx4)
Anything that is, or was, began as a dream - Lavagirl
Surgery Date: 11/15/2010
Jewel506 is my Angel!
Angel to Kristi (Momx4)Anything that is, or was, began as a dream - Lavagirl
The amount you lose varies by person, as does the regrowth. How much you lose does not predict how it will regrow. But yeah, accept that you're going to lose a fair amount of hair. It's called telogen effluvium and it happens.
For the majority of folks it grows back nicely. For me it did not. I pouted about this for a while. Then I decided to bravely exhibit my male pattern baldness. Then I decided to play with hats. THEN I took the plunge and bought a wig.
NOW I have an ever expanding collection of hats and hair and have lots of fun with it. What I put on my head is a part of getting dressed in the morning.
Attitude is everything. You are not your hair. This is a tough hurdle to jump, but it can be jumped. And I gotta tell you, I like being alive and well a lot better than I ever liked my (very nice) hair.
For the majority of folks it grows back nicely. For me it did not. I pouted about this for a while. Then I decided to bravely exhibit my male pattern baldness. Then I decided to play with hats. THEN I took the plunge and bought a wig.
NOW I have an ever expanding collection of hats and hair and have lots of fun with it. What I put on my head is a part of getting dressed in the morning.
Attitude is everything. You are not your hair. This is a tough hurdle to jump, but it can be jumped. And I gotta tell you, I like being alive and well a lot better than I ever liked my (very nice) hair.
Thank you (and thank you other ladies too). I told my friend that I would just go to wigs if I had to. It's not the end of the world. My diabetes, well, it could be. I certainly will take the healthier body over a head of awesome hair.
I am figuring out just how much of a mind thing this is going to be in addition to a body thing.
I am figuring out just how much of a mind thing this is going to be in addition to a body thing.
As others have said, it's individual. But the curliness hair can impact how we perceive the loss.
I have shoulder length curly hair that used to be thick and coarse. Over the years (pre-op), my hair went from coarse to finer. And it has gotten thinner, but compared to most people it is still thick.
Now, you said you have curly hair...so here is some advise from one curly girl to another.
I am talking now about normal everyday hair loss or shedding. Most people with straighter hair, as they lose their hair it falls out fairly easily, and they don't notice it as much. Us curly haired gals, when our hair falls out it stays on our head "caught" or "stuck" in all other hairs. So when we take a shower or brush our hair, we notice the hair loss.
Fast forward to our post op hair loss, (which can happen for many reasons: effects from a long surgery, rapid weight loss, low protein, fluctuations in hormones). Now we are losing more hair than the "normal" hair shedding that occurs. As I said that we will notice the hair loss more when you wash or brush your hair. It will look like a lot, and it will look like more to others too. But the plus of curly hair - it won't really be that noticeable to others. As long as your hair falls out evenly all over and not in patches.
Make sure your protein is where it needs to be, as well as your other vites. Also, I've added biotin to my daily vites to help with the hair loss and regrowth.
good luck!
I have shoulder length curly hair that used to be thick and coarse. Over the years (pre-op), my hair went from coarse to finer. And it has gotten thinner, but compared to most people it is still thick.
Now, you said you have curly hair...so here is some advise from one curly girl to another.
I am talking now about normal everyday hair loss or shedding. Most people with straighter hair, as they lose their hair it falls out fairly easily, and they don't notice it as much. Us curly haired gals, when our hair falls out it stays on our head "caught" or "stuck" in all other hairs. So when we take a shower or brush our hair, we notice the hair loss.
Fast forward to our post op hair loss, (which can happen for many reasons: effects from a long surgery, rapid weight loss, low protein, fluctuations in hormones). Now we are losing more hair than the "normal" hair shedding that occurs. As I said that we will notice the hair loss more when you wash or brush your hair. It will look like a lot, and it will look like more to others too. But the plus of curly hair - it won't really be that noticeable to others. As long as your hair falls out evenly all over and not in patches.
Make sure your protein is where it needs to be, as well as your other vites. Also, I've added biotin to my daily vites to help with the hair loss and regrowth.
good luck!
HW/SW/CW/GW: 294/288/170.2/150 ht: 5'2" (06/03/2012)
I have alot of hair.. and it is thick.. I freaked out at first I am 5.5 months out it started at about 4.5 months for me.. no one else can tell, but it is more annoying for me than anything else.. I figured if I do need a wig there is some really cute styles I wouldn't mind sporting!! I wouldn't take it back though..even though I am only 5.5 months out I will handle the hair issues.. I also have added Biotin to my vits for regrowth purposes.. Good luck!
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