Question:
I am eight months post op and am still losing hair.

I know losing hair is normal, but does it grow back or will I end up with very thin hair? I notice some WLS members have very thin hair.    — Alma R. (posted on October 8, 2003)

October 8, 2003
Losing hair is normal and it does come back. Make sure that you are getting at least 60g of protein per day. Up it to 100g and you will see how fantastic the hair looks, not to mention that the weight will come off fantastic also. Lamaur hair products makes a conditioner made from bone marrow. It works great on the hair and you can get it from a beauty supply. Check your shampoo's ingredients. Look for hydrolyzed animal protein. A shampoo does not need to be expensive to be good for you. You want to stay away from products that have paraben in them. This is wax and will not allow your hair to absorb any nutrients. It may temporarily make the hair follicle smooth down and look good, but it will starve the hair. Once a month rince your hair with vinegar, mix equal parts of water and pour over the hair. It will clarify alkelines out of the hair and any other coatings that may keep it from absorbing nutrients. This will allow your conditioners to work to the max. Hope this helps some. It did for me and my hair came back even better then before.
   — Sue A.

October 8, 2003
Hi Alma: I had read that people usually lose hair from 3 months to 6 months. I actually started a bit before my third month and it came out by the hand full. I didn't really notice it on my head because I had really thick hair preop. But my shower was full of it. It was on the bathroom floor and all over the livingroom carpet. I mean so much hair everywhere that my husband really was bothered by it. I tried everything to try to stop it but it went way pass six months. About the 8th month I started to worry a bit, but it was starting to slow down, and then I guess it stopped around the ninth month. It's just as thick as before and a bit more curly I guess. Some people don't lose hair post op, but I think they're the exception. If you've noticed several post ops with thin hair I imagine they're probably not that far post op. All the older post ops I know are back to having full heads of hair. But I'd give up thick hair to be thinner if I had to. Best of luck with your hair loss stopping soon. S
   — sherry hedgecock

October 8, 2003
I am also 8 months out and still losing hair, I am getting in all my protein so I know that that is not it. It started around 3 months and I did not have a lot to start with so this has me worried. But like I tell my doctor I can always get a wig! I am just praying it stops soon, I do have a ton of little hairs that are growing back in, but at the same time I am losing more???
   — Haziefrog

October 8, 2003
Hi Alma, I will be 5 months post op on October 13th, and noticed my hair loss around month 4. Someone recommended shampoo called Nioxin to me. It's a little expensive ($10 in a beauty supply store), but I swear in just the last 2 weeks that I've been using it I already see a difference. I see a little less hair on the bathroom floor every morning when I shampoo. You must use it every time you shampoo, don't switch back and forth, but it definitely seems to be working for me. The hair loss totally freaked me out. Good luck.
   — Ceil G.

October 8, 2003
Do you take vitamins, and are you getting enough protein? At this point (8 months) I would have thought the hair loss should have slowed down, so you may need additional supplementation. Maybe with zinc, or the hair/skin/nails formulas. It could also be a protein deficiency. I started losing hair again after about a year, and when I upped my protein it stopped.
   — mom2jtx3

October 9, 2003
I am 9 months post-op and in the past month I've had some thinning. PROTEIN, PROTEIN, PROTEIN! My hair dresser also told me to take Vitamin E. I now have baby hairs growing back. I take 2 Flintstones Complete Vitamins twice a day and they help a great deal!
   — Lisa R.