Question:
I am 4 years post op, I am still losing ALOT of HAIR!
I do eat enough protein with my meals, and I exercise about 4x a week. My once thick locks, is now breaking near the roots, and falling in clumps in the shower and also when I run my fingers through my hair. Has anyone tried any hair growing products and had good luck with it? Or recommendations on what I should do? Thanks! — socal_ro (posted on July 28, 2010)
July 28, 2010
Oh my. You are what you eat. That maxim doesn't change simply because you
have had weight loss surgery. Your hair is falling out because you simply
are not getting sufficient protein along with eating properly. This means,
you must get first and foremost your protein and the protein cannot come
from chewing meat, fish, eggs, etc. It comes from Whey Protein Isolate for
the rest of your lifetime. Your protein from Whey Protein Isolate (and NOT
FOOD) is quite a high figure. For me, my daily consummption is a minimum
of 100 grams -- 130 grams. The formula to calculate how much you need is
at my website: www.obesityhelp.com/group/BellevueWA. You also need a
balanced diet of greens, fruits, vegetables, supplements, and water, along
with sufficient exercise,, so your body remains healthy and you regularly
poop soft poop 3 times a day following your small meals and don't poop hard
marbles. Go to my website www.obesityhelp.com/group/BellevueWA where I
have posted considerable information which will assist you. You do have it
within your eating power to stop losing your hair. If you are unfortunate
to have a doctor similar to the one who performed my surgery 5 1/2 years
ago, and perhaps even nutritionists who truly do not understand the
constraints upon our weight-loss-surgery bodies, then you must commence
learning yourself everything there is to know about supplements, nutrition,
bioavailability factors in the foods you eat (which you eat solely for the
chewing factor and not the protein factor), exercise, hydration, etc.,
etc., etc. You need to be knowledgeable, in fact, more knowledgeable about
what is important to your health and your body than any of the
professionals you pay to assist you. Looking for answers in hair growing
products will keep you skirting away from the simple fact you are what you
eat. Having this life-saving surgery does not change that fact. All it
does is intensify the need all of us have to learn how to properly take
care of our bodies. You will find a wealth of info at my group site. You
also need to program your mind to believe you are successful in everything
you think, say, do,pray, and eat. Go to my personal site (click on my
name) and freely make use of the positive affirmations I have listed. You
have the power within yourself to redirect your eating habits to get
sufficient protein (the formulas are listed at my group site) which is
critical for keeping your hair. Making sure you get green smoothies where
greens are pulverized through using a Vita Mix because a Vita Mix is the
sole machine with strong enough blades to get to the nutrition locked
within the foul-tasting greens, and blending the greens with fruits so the
flavor is most pleasant, will your hair become luxurious and your skin
glowing. Read Victoria Boutenko's book Green for Life, on how and you you
absolutely must have greens in your diet. I am now 73 and my picture taken
2 years ago speaks volumes for my good health. People consistently are
shocked when they find out I am 73 and still going strong. I am 5 1/2
years post RNY and I still get my labs done a minimum of 3 times a year
making adjustments to the supplements I take depending upon my lab results
and continue to work closely with my family practice doctor to ensure my
health remains vibrant. My hair? My hair remains shiny, thick Viking
hair. My skin? I have very few wrinkles. My skin glows. My energy?
Excellent. It may sound like I am preaching. Well, I am. I'm preaching
from experience. I'm just tired of folks thinking they can rely on
products to help them poop better in place of eating the right foods and
tired of folks complaining about their hair falling out and hoping some
product they smear on their hair will help them. The answers to these two
major issues comes back to the simple fact which remains the truth: you
simply are what you eat. So, here's to good health and good eating.
Blessings, Christine.
— Christine Gibson
July 28, 2010
Christine, I like all of the information posted in your answer and I am
interested in checking out your page but it does not come up for me. Any
ideas on that?
— texasred
July 28, 2010
Christine gave you wonderful advise but you might check with a doctor to
make sure there is not some other issue going on. Hair breaking near the
root may not be because of lack of protein. Good luck.
— Muggs
July 28, 2010
Have the doctor check out your thyroid levels. Hair loss is a symptom of
hypothyroidism.
— smparker2
July 29, 2010
I myself suffer with a massive amount of hair lose about once a year. I
saw a dermatologist and he said I have seborrhea dermatitis. (dandruff) so
what is happening is my scalp is building up layers of new skin before the
old comes off;natural procedure. But what is happening is the build up is
happening so fast that it is blocking the hair follicle which in turn
causes the hair to die at the root of course. So your hair lose is massive
in clumps at times, (shower, brushing it, just running your fingers thru
it), he recommended that I use mineral oil on my scalp twice a week and
leave it on for a few hours. Get a shower cap, wrap it up in that with a
towel and just let it soak into your scalp, wash your hair real well to get
the oil out, it could take up to 4 times of shampooing, then condition it
and keep brushing it at the scalp daily to loosen the skin cells. Once I
did two treatments, my hair stops falling out. This is worse in the summer
he said and will get better in the winter, which I have noticed. I use
Nioxin Scalp Treatment shampoo which makes your feel fuller and thicker and
look healthier during this time. It seems to grow better as well when done
with the mineral oil, because you have opened up the hair follicle. You
will not go bald, actually as the hair is falling out you will notice new
baby hair growing at your neckline and your hairline up top. Within a few
weeks the lose should slow down since you have released the build up of
skin cells that kill off the hair due to blocked hair follicles. Another
thing it could be is make sure your thyroid levels are normal. (I have to
take a thyroid replacement) Then if all else fails, have your protein
levels checked. I have a lot of experience with hair lose due to this and
I know you will have great results with the mineral oil. You are 4 yrs
post op, which I am 4.5 yrs post op. So having hair lose like this is not
something new to me, however; I have a way to control it. Keep notice as
to when your hair starts to fall out, summer time, then the winter should
not be as much. I would love to hear back from you for the end results
when the process has slowed down. I guarantee you will notice a
difference. If you are still concerned, make an appt to see your doctor.
take care.
— Kristy
July 30, 2010
I feel for you as I lost over 1/2 of my hair. I remembered days that I
would actually cry with a massive handful of hair every time I washed it.
My doctor, nutritionist all recommended biotin, silica and zinc. Puritans
Pride makes a supplement that is called hair, skin and nails formula, it is
very reasonable, I think I paid $15 for 3 months worth. Now it is not a
magic pill and it takes about a month, but so worth it. I will put the link
to the one I use at the bottom.I thought I was better and stopped taking
it, within a week I noticed a little more than usual and now I won't stop
taking it again. My hair is so healthy my nails grown long and very strong
and my skin is so much softer. I wish you luck. Here is the link----
http://www.puritan.com/skin-care-products-012/hair-skin-nails-formula-007580?NewPage=1.
They have buy 1 get 2 free until 8/12.
— dowens67
July 31, 2010
Greetings everyone and blessings! the way to get to my OH personal website
is www.ObesityHelp.com/member/ChristineGibson. Click it on and there you
are! Here is to all our health! Blessings, Christine
— Christine Gibson
August 1, 2010
Rose, You might want to go to your PCP and have blood levels drawn for
zinc, testosterone (dht I think), thyroid levels (ts3 & 4 I believe),
several others. There's a good article here about vitamin deficiencies
that affect hair loss: http://www.articlealley.com/article_66865_17.html
I had all of mine come out normal and I am experiencing some pretty severe
loss too. My bariatric people said it was just Telogen Effluvium (natural
loss due to stress of weight loss..I dont THINK so, loss started BEFORE
WLS). I was sent to a dermatologist by my PCP. Derm said it was
post-menopausal loss. Oh Joy. Not much to do to bring it back, but can
prevent further loss. I'm now on topical Rogaine and thinking about adding
Nioxin to the regimen. I take biotin and skin/hair/nails supplements too.
Thinking about asking about taking Propecia...usually only prescribed for
men, but since I can in no way become pregnant again (had hyst) it might be
OK'd for me. Best of luck to you!!
— Lisaizme
August 11, 2010
I agree with everyone's responses, in addition to protein, thyroid levels,
blood work to revea nutrition levels, my surgeon recommended taking 500 mg
of the amino acid L-cystein twice a day and my hair loss stoppd and
reversed.
— Melinda B.
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