Question:
WILL I LOOSE MY THICK LONG HAIR?

I am a month post-op and I hear I will start loosing my hair at 3 months. I take my protein, water, and vitamins... Will I still loose my hair? What can I do to prevent it?    — Heidi J. (posted on July 21, 2003)

July 21, 2003
In the 5th month I started losing my hair and now in the 6 1/2 month I have lost 2/3 of my hair and it is still falling out by the handfulls. I have been taking numerous vitamins, and always get protein in. If your hair is dyed it makes it worse because it snaps off along with the hair that falls out by the roots. I am told it will grow back but I have been cutting my long hair shorter and shorter as it is everywhere. From other posts I have been told it is common.
   — Laura K.

July 21, 2003
My long very thick hair starting falling out by the handfuls after I lost the first 50 pounds. 9 months later it FINALLY stopped but not before I lost about half the hair on my head. I really started getting worried that it wasn't going to stop but it did. I am still using Nioxin which is a shampoo and conditioner that prevents shedding. It seems to help. I did everything right from protein to vitamins and it still happened. The good news is that it is growing back now so I have 1 inch hairs sticking out all over my head.....lol lol....and I lost 133lbs as a consolation prize!!!!! Don't worry it will come back for you too. Wendi
   — lovemonterey

July 22, 2003
My hair was to my waist and very very thick. I had my hairdresser cut it to my shoulders (still long) at 8 weeks post-op. I have done everything right, I am 4 mos post-op and my hair has begun to fall out. I don't believeit is the anesthesia (which some people claim) because in the last 5 years I have been under the knife 6 times for orthopedic and thyroid surgery. If you search the archives, everyone says that it is 50/50 - some lose some don't no matter what they do.
   — M B.

July 22, 2003
It doesn't seem that the medical community really knows why temporary (and I emphasize TEMPORARY) hair loss occurs in many WLS patients, but it is extremely common (I think I read that about 70% do, but I'm not sure where I heard or read that). Some speculate that it's a delayed reaction to anesthesia, others that it's a lack of protien, others that there is a deficiency in some micronutrient(s), others that it's the body's response to the shock of the surgery and quick weight loss, but nobody really knows. I'm guessing that it's a combination of factors. Because they don't know why we lose our hair, they don't know how to prevent it. I started taking special hair and nail vitamins before surgery. My surgeon recently suggested upping my protein (I was getting 65 grams a day, now I get over 100). I'm still losing lots of hair. I am having it cut Halle-Berry-short at my next hair appointment until it grows back in. My only consolation (besides losing the weight) is knowing it will grow back. Six months or so of thin hair is a small price to pay to have my health and my life back. If it gets really bad, I'll get a wig. I even told the surgeon I would rather be bald than obese! This, too, shall pass.
   — Vespa R.

July 22, 2003
I had a good postop diet and lost about 1/3 of my hair. I cut it shorter to minimize the shock value every time I took a shower. I was the only one who noticed. I had very thick hair and it actually made it more manageable. I lost hair for 3 months and then it started to grow back. Now THAT looked a little funny as I had all this sprouty hair growth poking through. LOL It looks fine now, although I still notice every once in a while I will go thru a short period of greater than normal hair loss. I think it happens if it's gonna happen and there's not much you can do to prevent it. BTW, I did color my hair and didn't have any problems with that (but I didn't bleach or anything maybe that makes a difference). All my lost hair came out at the roots.
   — ctyst

July 22, 2003
Not everyone loses their hair. I am almost 8 months post-op. I have very thick and almost waist length hair. I can't tell that my hair has thinned at all. Last week I had a trim and had to have the hairdresser use thinning shears to get rid of some of the bulk. I think I am getting most of my daily 60 gm of protein and I'm still taking the calcium, and Flintstones every day. Don't stress over the possibility of hair loss. I lost hair from stress while home-schooling my teenage son. Don't worry, be happy.
   — jocelyn

July 23, 2003
I lost nearly all of my hair from a different medical problem (NOT WLS) two years ago, and had great success with taking zinc, B12 and Folic Acid. Now my hair is thicker and stronger than it EVER was. And after WLS I haven't lost a single hair (I am 15 months post-op). Good luck!
   — kultgirl

July 23, 2003
the reason we lose hair is the rapid weight loss at once. i lost tons of hair, people think i cut my hair short but i didn't it just fell out . it was unbelieveable all over the place i couldn't even touch my head. that was exactly 3 months after surgery. i started taking min shen for women at the vitamin shoppe and 1 zinc tablet a day it takes 3 months for this to work. but it worked, now i'm just letting it do its thing. its the least of our problems
   — ELIZABETH F.