Ok I have a strange question.... I posted this on another forum about 2 months ago but thought I'd post it here on the Surgery site to get input from you guys.........

After having surgeries as anyone noticed an increase in the amount of hair that comes out when combing it?  I have!!!!!
I noticed a bit more than usual coming out back around May after I had my Brachioplasty in March.  I kind of wondered if it could be because I had the 2 surgeries under general anesthesia within  4 months (Breast reduction/Lift in Nov 2008 and brachio in March 2009).  Well I just had the arm revision done 3 weeks ago so that's 3 times under GA within 8 months and now my hair is coming out even more!

I've read that there is a connection between anesthesia and hair loss/thinning.  Has anyone else noticed this?  Is it temporary??  How long before it starts coming back.  I swear I'm afraid that after my Tummy Tuck in a few weeks that I'll really start going bald.

Thoughts??
Thanks!!

Here's some info from the site that will probably help explain why it happens and hw long it lasts. I had a lot of hair loss after my DS but when I asked on here if people experienced hair loss after plastics very few responded that it did.

http://www.dsfacts.com/hair-loss.html

Hair Loss

Hair loss can happen as a result of surgery. Telogen Effluvium occurs when sudden or severe stress, like surgery, causes an increase in the shedding of the hair. Hair follicles prematurely stop growing and enter into a resting phase. The hair stays in the resting phase for about 3 months after which time a large amount of hair will be shed. Surgery can cause this loss because after the stress of surgery your body compensates by diverting nutrients toward more vital organs. Also, when there is rapid weight loss, losing hair is not uncommon. In most cases the hair loss is temporary and the hair soon recovers.

Thanks for the website......lots of good info out there!

I had bladder surgery about ten years ago and started losing hair a few months later.  After my DS it was the same thing and my hair got terribly thin.  But I am happy to report it all grew back. 

I was expecting the worse when I started having my plastics but surprisingly I have not noticed any hair loss with any of my plastics procedures. 

Red

I have heard that general anesthesia can do this. I had it pretty bad after my bypass. Only had a little after my gall bladder. I think that was because the gall bladder surgery was relatively short compared to my bypass / hernia repair.

I lost a lot of my hair after having my DS but it eventually stopped falling out. After having my tummy tuck and BL/BA 7 weeks ago I have noticed l'm losing some but not near as much. My hair is so much thinner now and I miss my thick hair. I am hoping one day once all the surgeries are over it'll thicken up again.

I had no hair loss with any surgery.  I did have hair loss, associated with my rapid weight loss with my VSG.  It all grew back.

Ruth,
From a cosmetologist point of view thats me!!!!! Start using Nioxin it comes in all kinds of Formulas. Regular, dry you know the drift!!!!! It will help retart loosing hair.
If you want I can get it for you at my price at the Beauty Supply.
Carla 

Hi Ruth
 I am the Queen of hair loss post -op, basically it goes into the resting phase, we loose hair every day but it is still growing, post-op it doesn't even groe. I loose hair post-op after every surgery .. I didn't loose it after my TT & hyster in Dec and I am still waiting to loose post-op April surgery it usuall happens 3 months post-op and lasts for 3 months. it always grows back in thicker & now it is curly.
I use Nioxin & Biotin conditioner I take 5000mcg og Biotin by mouth and I take zinc.   and I am using Rogaine. Before  my Dec surgery I really piled on the protein for healing and I think that may have helped, but whatever happens it all grows back

Hi Susan!
I just started taking Biotin pills......I'm taking about 3000 mcg but today up'd it to 5,000....hoping that will help.
Also going to try the shampoo CarlaK recommended.

Hoping it will grow back and not be even more gray than it is now.  :-)

Thanks!