Question:
Does protein intake effect post op hair loss?
I was told by my surgeon's nurse that hair loss was one of the symptoms of insufficient daily protein intake. I'm wondering if anyone out there consumed more than 50 protein grams per day and still experienced considerable hair loss. — cherryswitch (posted on February 14, 2003)
February 14, 2003
Hi Marcia: I am 17 mos post op and still experiencing hair loss. I bust
my fanny trying to get in btwn 80-90 grams of protein per day...most days I
do and I still have ALOT of hair loss. I have one side of my hair that is
noticably thinner than the other...especially thin in the front....WILL IT
EVER GROW BACK?????? Who knows and frankly I could care less...I am #144
lighter and a size 3...My dr monitors my bloods and still wants to see me
every other month even at 17 mos out...So far so good and I feel GREAT!!
If hair loss is what I have to give up to be thin, then so be it.....I just
cut it really short and spikey with a couple of different colors in it and
everybody just loves it....A little jealous that they can't wear the same
hair style.....It actually looks pretty good.....Good luck on your new
journey....
— Joi G.
February 14, 2003
I WISH I could consume at least 50 grams of protein a day. I just cannot
eat enough to get all my protein in. If I nurse a protein shake I give up
my water intake. What I have been doing is making a protein shake with one
Instant Breakfast packet, 8 ounces (plus 1/3 cup of non fat instant milk
crystals...double milk) of skim milk and a heaping scoop of the protein
powder. Total of 40 grams of protein. This dang thing increases three
times in volume...mostly air. hahahahahaha It takes me a couple of hours
to sip the entire thing. I must drink it ALL or I don't get the 'promised'
40 grams of protein. Of course I am eating regular food at other meals. I
just hope I am getting in sufficient grams of protein from that. I can't
count the grams of protein from my other meals because it's hard to count
'bites'. I eat such small amounts. I LOVE this volume control. I do
worry about getting in all my protein, however. I was told today by a
nutritionist that the big time hair loss can also be caused by all the
anesthesia during surgery. This too, as I am told, will pass! (Open RNY
10/30/02 -102lbs.)
— Ginger M.
February 14, 2003
I have heard that if you are going to be one of those "unlucky"
individuals that loses your hair, then there is nothing you can do about
it. I am really starting to believe that! I am now about 6 1/2 months out
now and I have tried lots of different things to prevent hair loss. I
personally have not found ANYTHING that has helped. It has finally slowed
down now, thank goodness. But I tried protein, zinc, biotin, and vitamin
E. Nothing helped. I never did try the nioxin shampoo but after
everything else I tried, I honestly doubt that would have made a
difference. I have finally come to terms with it. And now I am just
counting on the fact that I have read it DOES grow back. I sure hope so!
Good luck!
— Laurel C.
February 14, 2003
I WAS ALSO TOLD IT HAD TO DO WITH THE PROTEIN INTAKE. I DONT BELIEVE IT.
A FRIEND OF MINE LOST QUITE A BIT OF WEIGHT IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME
WITHOUT SURGERY AND SHE ALSO HAD THE HAIR LOSS. I THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH
THE METABOLIC CHANGES IN YOUR BODY WHILE LOSING WEIGHT. THAT IS ALSO WHY
PREGNANT WOMEN USUALLY EXPERIENCE HAIR LOSS. MINE STARTED COMMING OUT AT
ABOUT 4 MONTHS POST OP AND JUST STOPPED A FEW WEEKS AGO AT 6 MONTHS POST
OP.
— christina K.
February 14, 2003
While I was in the hospital, a nurse who had also had the rny told me she
had experienced hair loss and took Biotin for it. It is common in
multivitamins, but usually in too small a dose. I found a woman's vitamin
at GNC that had a good amount of Biotin. My doctor also said it was related
to protien intake. I would suggest Carnation Instant breakfast with milk
for protien. Its 20g of protien with milk, and it doesn't expand in your
stomach. That is my breakfast everyday.
— Lynn R.
February 14, 2003
I agree with the previous poster -- I think that if you're going to lose
your hair, there is nothing you can do to stop it. That being said...I
consume about 100 g. of protein a day, take a biotin every day, and haven't
lost a hair. Good luck.
— Tamara K.
February 14, 2003
I have taken Real Meals everyday since I was about 4 weeks post op. It has
the 60 grams of protein, biotin and over 40 other vitamins and nutrients.
I have never had any hair loss. Some people say the protein doesn't make a
difference. But out of the post op people I know it seems that all of us
into protein have all of our hair.
— Linda A.
February 14, 2003
From what I understand, your protein intake needs to be next to nothing for
awhile before you lose hair. That said, I have heard from 2 surgeons that
hair loss is an after effect of the anesthesia, and if you are going to
lose it, you are going to lose it, period. I kinda believe them since
after my last son, I lost almost 1/2 my hair from the epidural effects, and
have had the same effect from the anesthesia from the WLS. Renee D
— Renee D.
February 14, 2003
As noted by several others here, and in previous threads too numerous to
count, many people lose hair due to after-effects of anesthesia, *period*.
I briefly lost hair about three months after WLS, then it stopped; had
another surgery, unrelated to WLS, and after *that* surgery, had brief hair
loss (again). I always got at least 60 grams of protein in, from about ten
days post-op from WLS, and I was easily up to 100 grams of protein a day by
the time of the second surgery. Still had hair loss (which was temporary,
and no big deal). I've seen numerous posts from folks who also tell tales
of themselves, or others (including folks who never even HAD WLS) who had
similar, brief periods of hair loss following surgery. I like protein
shakes, and I think they're important for other reasons. But anybody who
tells you that THEIR protein shake will prevent hair loss ought to offer
you a money-back guarantee on that, that you can still collect on a few
months later if you're one of those folks with anesthesia-related hairloss.
(Don't hold your breath waiting for it, though!) ;)
— Suzy C.
February 15, 2003
FOLLOW-UP QUESTION: I had my tubes tied while in the hospital after the
birth of my son. I had an epidural for the birth, but had to have general
anesthesia for the tubal because my epi came out. I don't recall an
inordinate amount of hair loss after that. Is that a good indication that
I won't have hair loss problems after this surgery due to anesthesia?
— cherryswitch
February 15, 2003
I would say, YES WITHOUT A DOUBT...I have averaged 80-100g every day since
I was 6 wks post-op (I am 6 mos today) and I haven't lost ANY HAIR! I got
my haircut today and my hair dresser remarked, as usual, gosh, you gotta
lot of hair. Good Luck to you. Heather (Open RNY 8/15 305/210/150)
— heathercross
February 15, 2003
I'm 5 months out and my hair has been coming out for the past 2 months. It
is very, very thin on top. I'm begining to have a hard time with this as I
always had thick, long hair. I am getting 90 grams of protein in and have
had surgery in the past without this problem. How much of the zinc, biotin
etc should I take per day. I really appreciate all the messages that have
been written in this thread.
— Marian B.
February 17, 2003
At my support group we've been told that hair loss often happens at 3
months post-op. This is due at least in part from protein deficiency, but
it's a delayed reaction. The lack of protein in our diets the first few
weeks after surgery, especially when we're on clear liquid diets, causes
hair loss 3 months later. So, once the hair starts to come out, it's too
late to add protein to stop it.
— Michele C.
February 17, 2003
I disagree, I am now 19 months postop aand have always gotten at least 100
grams of protein per day..through supplements and food sources and still
lost hair. It depends on the person..I've had 3 surgeries and lost hair
with each and every one of them..protein supplements help..no doubt..but to
make it seem like it's the solution to everything is misleading..not
everyone who loses hair is lacking protein..it can be a number of things :)
— [Deactivated Member]
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