Biotin

Have you taken biotin? If so, when did you start and did it prevent hair loss?

I started right after surgery.  I still had a lot of hair loss on my head but gained an incredible amount of facial hair.  I had to go to a beauty shop and have full facial waxings.  It was embarrassing and painful and I finally threw those pills away.

I also had some facial hair growth with biotin. Oddly, I"m not sure it did a thing for the hair on my head!

I experienced hair thinning starting at 3 months post-op but, for reasons White Dove said, I didn't start any extra biotin other than what was already in the daily multi-vitamin.  Instead, I chose using NIOXIN shampoo and conditioner.  Warning, it's expensive but JCPenney Salon allowed me to use a coupon along with a sale.  I don't know if the shampoo helped or not because the hair loss corrects itself with time, anyway.  Hair thinning stopped at about a year and is much thicker at 2 1/2 years post-op.  The biggest difference in hair is how much more dry it is--no more daily shampooing.  

NIOXIN did wonders for me

I actually started taking biotin before I ever even had my first appointment for surgery. I wore fake nails for years and decided to take them off and was taking the biotin to help my very damaged nails.  I am now 6 weeks post op and I still take it.  I notice my hair grows faster.  I have not noticed any facial hair.

No facial hair growth here either I started taking it two months ago and my surgery isn't until August 11th and my hair is beneath my butt I would hate to have to cut it.

I started taking it 2 months before my surgery.  I still lost half my hair AND i ended up with excess facial hair growth (which, BTW, is apparently permanent).

If you do an Internet search on telogen effluvium you will understand why taking biotin won't do ANYTHING to prevent or minimize hair loss after WLS.

Just make sure you get in enough protein and vitamins so you don't have any deficiencies that might make the hair loss worse than it would otherwise be.

Lora