HAIR LOSS

I was just reading Smoka's post regarding hair loss. I'm 10 months out and have been losing for quite some time. It is now coming back - although I'm looking a little more like my Westie-Shih Tzu cross than I would like. I don't know whether it is coming back on its own, or whether what I have done has helped it along, but I've been doing the following:

• Started using Nexxus shampoo, conditioner and treatment every other shampoo (I try to go three to four days in between shampoos). It cost me $50 at the salon and it contained all three bottles.
• Started taking Nature's Bounty Hair and Nail vitamin, then noticed it had a very low dose of Biotin. Although it has not been proven, it is accepted that Biotin does help and that a dosage of 2,500 mcg. is required daily. It is a sublingual, very inexpensive and I take it with my daily vitamins in the morning. I continue to take my B12 once a week because it is a high dosage and I am in the normal range.
• Use Paul Mitchell's clarifying shampoo once every two weeks or so as it is said to keep the hair follicles unclogged to promote growth.

I noticed hair growing back at about month 9. I need to change my name to sprout as it is growing straight up at the top of my head, then around the hairline creating an oh, so pretty bump in my bangs. At least people are looking more at my reduced bod then my sprouting baby hair - lol.

Life is good and regardless of the bumps in the road (or my hairline), I would do it again.

Still the thankful traveler ...

I'm also a sprout, Linda, lol.

I have 1-3 inches of regrowth. I have to sleep with my long hair in braids now or I wake up with the short hairs and long hairs all tangled together.

My long hair holds the shorter hair down everywhere except for my part line, and my new sideburns, lol.

I have done absolutely nothing; I use Garnier Nutrisse shampoo and don't take any biotin supplements. I do take calcium and vitamin D supplements, plus my normal multivitamin, which may help, but that's not why i take them.

I also take Calcium and Vitamin D along with my multi and B12. That is all I've been prescribed to take because my iron is also in the normal range. I think the Biotin helps, but as you said, so does time. Hair is much thinner and I don't have your length, but seeing progress in growing this new hair is a good thing.

Got to laugh about it. I'm just glad in reducing my weight and hair, my brains still appear to be intact!

My sprouts are driving me nuts!! Between the surgery and thyroid I've lost a good amount of hair, luckily I had a lot of hair that the loss wasn't too noticeable except when I would empty the vacuum cleaner lol. I'm getting my hair done in a few weeks and I might just cut it all off and start again. I had really short hair in high school so I'm not afraid, it's the in between stages of growing it out that is making me go back and forth about chopping it.

I'm going tomorrow to get mine done and you're right, everything is on the table. And the nerve of the sprouts, they're coming in gray!

My thyroid levels are also low right now (and were before surgery). My doctor is keeping an eye on them and said this could also be part of the problem.

So happy you made it to your goal!

Thanks Linda! I might try losing 10lbs yet, when I first set my goal I didn?t think I would get there, but we will see. I hear ya about the gray hairs, not cool!! Lol. Looking forward to seeing pics of your new doo!

Hi Linda,

I began using the Aveda line of a product called "Invati " - the shampoo, conditioner, and the revitalizer, two months before I had surgery. They are salon products and really pricey, but I thought it would be worth it. So far it has not worked. I think it's just a wls thing. I plan on continuing to use good quality products for my hair, and the hair loss will just come I know, but at least my hair will feel and smell good!! I heard about biotin but was reluctant to use it because I feared that I would start to grow facial hair. As a post-menopausal woman, the fear is real!

Good to hear that your hair is growing in and congratulations on your weight loss.

Barb

Linda my hair started growing back at 9 months. Those standing straight up hairs are a dead give away of regrowth. I did not use any special shampoo or conditioner, nor did I take any supplements other than my daily multi. I think our hair starts growing back when we near the final stages of weight loss. From what I've read on here, most people start losing at 3 months, and many start regrowth at 9 months when they are struggling to lose the last few pounds. We should do a study to see what people took, or tried, and what worked vs doing nothing. My hair is thicker than it was before WLS. I know we do lose some hair just from the anaesthetic.

I love westies!!

sorry off topic.

I was was on the boards earlier but did not post

reading about hair loss gave me hair loss nightmares

if you can't tell from my pic I am a hair princess

i love my hair. I am terrified of it all falling out. But it will still be worth it no hair and all

And I thought you were a pretty red lipstick princess - lol. I had (have) no spots, just a lot of thinning. My granddaughter is five months old and she has the same undergrowth of new hair happening to me. If I was 15 lbs, we'd be twins!

And yes, my Chloe who has the colouring and face of a Westie and the body of a Shih Tzu is also in need of some serious grooming. No hair loss though.

Continued success. I'm glad you are as happy with your WLS decision as I am!