Question:
HAIR LOSS BEFORE WLS, WILL IT GET BETTER AFTER WEIGHT LOSS?

LIKE EVERY THING ELSE MY PCP SAYS MY THINNING HAIR IS DUE TO BEING M/O. I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE ELSE WHO HAD THINNING HAIR BEFORE WLS FOUND IT GETTING THICKER & STRONGER AFTER SOME WEIGHT LOSS? I KNOW SOME PEOPLE GO THRU A PERIOD OF HAIR LOSS AFTER THE WLS BUT WHEN THAT'S OVER & THE HAIR COMES BACK IN, IS IT BETTER THAN BEFORE WLS?    — PATRICIA S. (posted on May 29, 2003)

May 29, 2003
Sorry, don't know, but my hair is falling out now, I hope it doesn't get any worse after. I'm going to keep up my protein and hope for the best!
   — mrsmyranow

May 29, 2003
You know, I'm so glad you asked this question (sorry, I don't have an answer either-- but I'm going to watch this question like a hawk for the next few days!), because I have PCOS and the resulting hair loss (thinning, actually) from that. I'm *totally* worried about losing even more hair around the 4-month mark... I know it'll grow back shortly thereafter (and perhaps even fuller than before because of increased protein and vitamin intake AND getting rid of the PCOS symptoms for good w/the weight loss), but I'd like to know how much MORE I stand to lose when it does happen. What a great question.
   — Kelly T.

May 29, 2003
Has your PCP checked your thyroid? I have a thyroid condition, ran out of my med (bad idea, let me tell you) and now my hair is falling out while my body gets back into the synthroid. At least, I hope that's why it's happening, my doc is checking all the possibilities. Anyway, thyroid problems can cause hair loss. By the way, does your PCP really blame EVERYTHING on being M/O? Could this be your physician being callous and prejudiced against you because of your weight? I had a doctor who just said everything was due to my weight and wouldn't treat me. I found another doc. I don't know your doc, so might be that I'm jumping to conclusions, but I remember thinking I was so worthless because I was M/O that I put up with a lot of nonsense that I shouldn't have. Sorry I can't answer about post op things, I'm pre-op myself.
   — Chyrl W.

May 29, 2003
YeS!!! I had very thin hair preop, wore a wig for years! My hair fell out some at about 3 months post op (it always thins considerably after surgery for me). I had 3 surgeries in 19 months...last one 12/02...my hair is awesome now, not back to normal, but better than it has been in years! The texture feels better and I can feel spikey new growth on my scalp. I use Nioxin shampoo and conditioner...not sure I can attribute the hair growth to that as I have used it for years. I do think it makes my scalp feel good and I personally just like it! It's so fun to be able to style and curl my hair again. Have hope! It can get better! (((hugs))) and smiles =)))
   — DebPKansas

May 29, 2003
My two grown sons tease my husband about his thinning hair. He is down nearly 50 lbs, and I told them that their dad's hairs are now closer together, so it doesn't look as thin! LOL! I am 7 months out, and I don't know what I have done, but my hair never fell out after surgery, and I have continued to color it regularly both before and after surgery. Go figure!
   — koogy

May 30, 2003
I had thinning hair before WLS, too. My hairdresser suggested the Nioxxin product line (including the spray used before drying my hair). She also suggested I take biotin. I found they worked well. <br> When I decided on WLS, I read that it wasn't uncommon to lose a lot of hair at about 3+ months. I decided to keep using these products, even before surgery, to make my hair as thick as possible before it started falling out again. You know what? It has been falling out for a month (I'm 4-1/2 months out), but when I just got a haircut, my hairdresser said my hair was so thick, she couldn't tell it had been falling out. <br> Good luck!
   — Beth S.