Question:
Do you lose hair after EVERY general anesthetic surgery?

Everyone talks about losing 1/3 of their hair after surgery because your body's in shock from the anesthesia and the follicles stop doing their thing. OK, I am in the "thick" of losing 1/3 of my hair from my 09/17/01 Open RNY. What I <i>haven't</i> seen anyone talk about is losing AN ADDITIONAL 1/3 after other procedures, like abdominoplasty. Do you lose another 1/3? Is it the same follicles as the first time? If I lose 2/3 of my thin blonde hair, I *will* be almost bald, and I'm not too wild about that.    — Julia M. (posted on February 8, 2002)

February 8, 2002
I had my surgery on 8-13, and boy am I losing hair!!!!!! I had thick hair to begin with so I'm a "lucky" one, but I look like a bald rat now! LOL I don't know if it's the surgery or the diet. I've heard both. BUT I do know the last time my hair fell out like this was when I was on a very strick diet and lost 90 lbs in 8 months. So, I tend to sway towards it being the drastic weight loss, or the vitamin defeciency. I've had surgery before, and was "put under" and I did not lose any hair afterwards.
   — Phiddy B.

February 8, 2002
basically it depends on how long you are put under..which the longer you are under..the greater amount of anesthesia that is put into your body. That is why most people don't have great hair loss after say a csection because if you are put to sleep it is for such a short time.
   — paula B.

February 8, 2002
I believe the hair loss comes from the rapid weight loss. I lost about 1/3 of my hair after my open RNY on 1-11-01. I was doing everything right... getting in my protien, vitamins ect. I even bought the NIOXIN and dont think it helped one bit. I feel that if your gonna lose your hair there is nothing you can do to stop it. I then had a major hernia repair in August and did not start losing hair again. 13 yrs. ago I had open gallbladder removal and didn't lose any hair either therefore this all leads me to believe it's the rapid weight loss tha causes hair loss. Mine hair slowly continues to fill in but but still is thin.
   — Deb H.

February 8, 2002
Hi Julia, I have had 6 surgeries including a c-section and with each one I had hair loss. It must be different for everyone. I even went through a major hair loss period when my daughter was in ICU for a month. So even psychological trauma caused mine to fall out. And it is very thin to start with, so I am not thrilled about the whole process. I am 3 months and it has already started. Whether protein has anything to do with it, I don't know. It seems to be a common belief among the WLS community. I asked at a support group meeting 2 nights ago when it will end and they said that it typically lasts between 3-6 months and said that it starts to grow back around month 12. If you have your abdomino before your hair grows back in, then you might be looking at a thin head of hair, given that you will have the loss after the procedure. I guess it all depends on the timing and if you do lose again. Good luck. Oh, BTW, you look super!!
   — Cheri M.

February 9, 2002
I am 7 weeks post-op, and have lost no hair. Some days i don't even get all my protien in!! however, When I had my 2 kids, I lost hair in clumps about 2 weeks after giving birth, but it only lasted about 2-3 weeks, and just a hair brush full, I didn't go bald.
   — Cindee A.

February 9, 2002
I've had surgery 5 times and the only time I ever lost any hair was after my wls.
   — georgiacarol