Question:
Should I leave my hair un-thinned until after surgery.

I have been reading about hair loss & whatnot and I've got a question. My hair is extremely thick, full & long...REAL thick. I normally have to thin my hair out every 3 - 4 months for it to be manageable. It's about that time - I've got the chi-chia pet look going on. My question is this: My surgery is next month, on the 9th and was wondering if you thought it might be to my benefit NOT to thin my hair out before surgery. Would it make a difference? Is that just more that will fall out anyway? Should I go about my normal routine and just take the chances....any advice would be appreciated. Thanks !    — Lisa J. (posted on March 5, 2002)

March 5, 2002
I had very little hair loss, just a few extra starnds in the shower drain. But, it usually take a few months for the hair loss to start, if at all, so I would suggest going ahead with your normal routine, then by the time you usually do the thinning thing, you may not need to, and you'll be "thinning" a different way. <BG>
   — Leslie F.

March 5, 2002
It has been 3 months after surgery for me. My hair is thick and long also. I am now loseing my hair by the handfuls. The Doc said I am loseing my hair because of my rapid wieght lost. I would not worry about this before your surgery so go ahead and thin your hair if it grows fast for you. And be grateful for your thick hair. I am very grateful for my thick hair (well was thick anyway)
   — Debra N.

March 5, 2002
Sounds like my hair, as I have a lot. I did not do anything cutting-wise pre-surgery. I lost a lot and with our amount of hair, it finally was a "plus" in my eyes- because you couldn't really tell. It did get darkest before the dawn, and at the moment I thought, "oh dear" someone is going to notice, it stopped falling out. I certainly sympathize with those who do not have a whole lot to begin with- as it is very shocking when you are losing it! Just remember it will come back and there are always hats or wigs! My regrowth is about 1/2 way to "that which stayed" hair length and I am a little over 1.5 yrs out.
   — Karen R.

March 5, 2002
I had very long, thick hair pre-op. It fell out by the HANDSFULL for several months. I kept telling myself I could afford to lose the hair as I had so much to start with...uh, huh, that worked for a few months. My hair became very, very thin & I had to eventually cut it very short. It has grown back nicely, although I'm not sure it's as thick. My suggestion would be to NOT thin your hair now. In the months to come, you may be thankful for every single strand you have left.
   — Kathy W.

March 10, 2002
***THIS IS A POSSIBLE AID IN HELPING TO PREVENT LOSING AS MUCH HAIR POST OP, I GOT THIS OFF OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT SITES ON THE INTERNET*** IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION JUS T GO TO ANY SEARCH ENGINE AND TYPE IN: hair loss, prevention, etc.. you surely will get some good hits..This isnt a hair loss reply but about all of the minerals and vitamins that I am taking PRE-OP to hopefully NOT lose as much hair as I hear everyone else does. This is what I am taking, that will hopefully help me grow something of a partial new crop prior to le' surgery. Okay, here goes... (mind you, this is all information I got off the internet-and all of these products cost me about 60 bucks for 2 months worth of stuff) (I got everything at whole foods) Selenium: 2 capsules a day ( 100 mcg ) Zinc with 2mg of Copper: 2 a day ( 15 mg ) plus 2 mg of copper B-12 Complex: 1 a day Biotin: 1 day (1,000 mcg) Spirulina: 6 tablets daily (its green and smells like cow poo) HAir, Nail, Skin formula (just pick one, there are so many to choose from, I just stuck with the WHole Foods brand, they are great quality and inexpensive (with MSN,Methosulfonylmethane): 2 capsules daily for you vegetarians out there, all of these formulas are vegetarian. It is alot to be taking, however.. I am willing to suck these nasty tasting things down if I have any chance at all to stimulate some type of hair growth. I have thin hair, with a very high widows peak and am very afraid of losing my hair.. I know that may be vain, and I should worry about my new life, not about my hair, but if I have to live with bad hair days for several months, I dont think I can handle that too. I probably wont be able to take all of these after surgery because there are so many to take, and I probably wont be able to stomach them with my teeny new little pouch im going to have.. so well see??!? any questions, email me! or if you just want to talk! [email protected]. I love all my sisters and brothers out there... Peace
   — Kim S.