Question:
before surgery, is there any preparations to help to decrease hair loss?

I also would like to know if there are any particular exercise's to start before surgery to help with toning the "excess" skin (under arms, apron, and thighs??) thank you...........    — maderm85 (posted on August 29, 2003)

August 28, 2003
Biotin supposedly helps with hair loss. You can get it in the vitamin section in the store. I just had surgery 8/6/2003 and have yet to have problems with my hair. We shall see how this goes as time passes... but I do take the biotin for the hair and have been taking it since before surgery. God Bless You in your Journey!
   — Eleanore Davis

August 29, 2003
You can spend alot of money on things that might help. I would suggest saving the money. Hair will fall out if it is going to. My doc told us to make sure we got our protein and to make sure we got enough zinc, I did both, it's aflling out. If you look at all of the library posts you will see that people have tried everything pre-op and pos-op and none of it worked. If you speak to a plastic surgeon they will say that you can not tone skin, only the muscle under it. Skin elasticity decreases with age. If you have been MO for many years, even if you are young, the skin may have stretched to the point that it can not "snap back". I got this info from reading several Plastic Surgeon websites and from talking to my RNY Surgeon.
   — M B.

August 29, 2003
I have been using biotin since surgery. I still have hair loss, but I have plenty. I wanted to tell everyone about Nexus Y serum. It is great! My hair was in such bad shape and I have been using this for about 1 week and I can really tell a difference! My hair looks really healthy! I got it at my salon but I think Drug Emporium has it. There is a shampoo, conditioner and spray. It is wonderful!
   — peggyp

August 29, 2003
I had surgery in January and have been losing my hair for the past 4 months. I recently had plastic surgery and was told by my hair dresser that I can expect to lose more in another 4 months or so. She says it's "Medicine Head" and she had it 4-6 months after breast reconstruction. She said it's inevitable but you can try to strengthen it with Rogaine type products (perhaps like the Nexus product recommended below which I'm going to try). I used to have long hair and cut it pre surgery. I also don't wash it everyday anymore like I used to (about 5 days a week now). Like another poster said some people try everything and still lose it which can be frustrating. I just wish it would STOP for a little while. You might want to talk to your hairdresser and see if there is a style that will help with the loss. That is what I did and luckily my hair dresser is familiar with the syndrome and worked with me to figure out a new style for me.
   — susanje

August 29, 2003
I lost very little hair and always ate >100g protein/day. I don't know whether that made a difference or is coincidence, but it is more than most recommendations I see. I also had DS (duodenalswitch.com) rather than RNY and am not sure what difference that made. People that do have trouble, which includes DSers, find that biotin pills and shampoo seem to work. Maybe taking biotin beforehand would help? Hair loss usually starts at 3-6 months, so whatever the problem is, it takes awhile to develop. It does stop after a few months, too! :-)
   — Chris T.

August 29, 2003
I was hopeful that Biotin would keep me from loosing hair, but when I asked my dermatologist she said it only helps with nails, not hair :( She also said there is basically nothing you can do about it, but to just give it time.
   — bethybb