Skinny, but bald??? No thanks!!

You are right; my complaint does seem trivial to those who are fighting for their lives against cancer. My mom is a survivor. She lost the hair all over her body and had sores in her mouth so bad that wasn't able to speak. Also, it's trivial when I think about my dear friend who lost her sweet 2 year old over a year ago after getting her tonsils out. I get that it's not a big deal in the big scheme of things. I was just wondering if anyone else had the same problem that's all. Thanks for your response!

Your hair WILL grow back.  Relax, there are thousands of us out there with sleeves, and none of us was made permanently bald by the process.

I have researched myself awhile back and think about it like this you'll lose about 20% of your hair which is not that much in some cases around 50%. That was one thing that was stoping me from doing this surgery at first but I do have a lot of hair just hope I don't lose it one spot.

Thank goodness I started out with thick hair, too! Good luck!

My husband got on my iPad the other night and i had left it open to a google search for 'hairstyles for thin hair' and he has been teasing me about it ever since. What he didn't realize until today was that I may be in dire need of that info soon! He was unaware of that particular byproduct of weight loss. Lol! The worst part is that I already have quite thin hair on top. I wonder if it would help to start Rogaine now...

Hahaha!! That's funny b/c my husband says he doesn't even notice that I'm losing my hair. I told him to just look in the drain after I shower. They are so clueless sometimes!! I'm not sure about the Rogaine, though. My dr. said that with such drastic weight loss so fast, it's going to happen. I was just thinking I am losing a little too much. Good luck! Maybe you won't lose much at all.

I started losing my hair exactly at the 3 month mark after surgery.  I am now at 4.5 months and I marked it on the calendar as my half-way point, as I am praying it only lasts 3 months.  I have lost over 50-75% of my hair.  Especially on top and sides.  I went out the other day and bought a cute acrylic wig for $50.00.  BUT, I also bought 2 of the cutest berets and they completely cover the top of my head and just let my curly bangs and wisps of medium-length hair come out around the bottom of the beret.  The wig is pretty intense and I will not wear it unless I lose almost all my hair, or cannot cover it with the berets.   I am prob not the best person to gauge hair loss by---I have been a Minoxidil user for 10 years (experienced about 60% regrowth on the top of my head over 10 years) and I had a gastic leak after surgery that left me in a severely weakened condition for a full 8 weeks, on Jejunostomy tube feedings etc, for 4 weeks.  Just now coming back real good, on treadmill 15 minutes per day and getting 90 grams protein every day with fortified protein drinks in the am.  I just broke a 5 week scale-stall and finally lost 2 pounds today.  I did it with----(caution!!!__going to write "heresy" now)---going on a 1 day fast.  That broke my stall.  I thought I was going to have to go on a 2-3 day of fasting, but it only took 1 day.  I hope the stall is truly broken and I continue to see the scale go down.  I am now 4.5 months out of my second surgery and have lost 57 pounds---(from 290 down to 233).  I am confident my hair will regrow and I am thrilled to even be alive and on the road to health and fitness and the new me.

Correction:  I will be at 4 months post op on May 16th--next week  (not 4.5 months).  I really got ahead of myself on the calendar  (LOLOL)--(surgery date was Jan 24th, 2011.)  I have marked the halfway point for 3 months hair loss on the calendar and that is not till next week. To gals that were experiencing top of head hair loss BEFORE surgery due to andorgenic alopecia, start Rogaine now.  The hair loss we are experiencing now is not androgenic alopecia, it is telogen effuvlium from WLS surgery---2 different causes.  However, once it starts growing in again, you will regain hair that is back in the growth phase after WLS PLUS regain hair that is susceptible to androgenic alopecia, ie male pattern baldness.  Also I read the other day that some dermatologists are telling women to bypass the women's Rogaine and go with the mens' concentration (stronger stuff)--but do your own research.  I am also on double doses of Biotin which only helps your hair once it starts growing in again.  But if you take Biotin now, be prepared to see more facial hair.  I just started electrology---the best money I can spend--my beard is gone--now working on mustache and eyebrows.  Good luck and blessings to all of you out there.

That's awesome!! Thanks for the response!

I have always had thin hair on top also and now I am noticing that yes it is getting thinner despite my efforts.  I have decided that this summer I will be investing in some hats!  I have to wear a hat at work all day everyday (I work in the OR) so I am just going to go with it and get creative.  Perhaps a 2 inch scarf tied like a headband? Whatever!  It is going to grow back and everyone is so noticing my shrinking body that they havent noticed my hair (at least they are not saying).  On a side note ladies and gentlemen make sure that you sunscreen you scalp and hair when you are in the pool or on the beach because that can make the situation worse!  Have a great summer everyone !