Question:
I have very long hair. How will I care for it immediately post-op?
My hair is VERY long. I noticed this morning that it touches the back of my legs when it's not braided (and that's got to go around my big fat a$$ first too LOL). Before my shower, I unbraid it and brush the knots out. In the shower, I shampoo, condition, and brush it out again. Then I turn the shower off and braid it. I have no idea how I'm going to accomplish the arms-over-the-head for three to five minutes that this requires right after surgery. My husband is not good at this kind of thing and he's going to have my daughter to care for anyway. I guess I can ask my angel to help with this (Jeanese, poor you, honey!) and she probably will, but what about once I get home? I didn't have any trouble with this right after having my baby. I took my first shower 20 minutes after delivering her (I had her at home, so nobody could tell me not to, LOL) and I was shaky and it was exhausting, but I leaned against the wall of the shower and it was OK. But I didn't have cut abdominal muscles when I did that, either. Cutting my hair is LOW on my list of answers to this question. I guess if I had to, I would try to figure out who I could PAY to help me with this problem instead of doing that. But who would even help me in the shower for money? Ugh. Thanks for any advice. — Julia Z. (posted on June 2, 2001)
June 2, 2001
Good question, and one that's been on my mind, though my hair is not as
long as yours and I'm not scheduled for surgery YET. This may sound icky,
but perhaps you could wash and braid it before you go to surgery then just
leave it until you feel strong enough to do it yourself?
Your convictions are stronger than mine, I've actually been mulling the
thought of cutting mine (strawberry blond and brushes the top of my big
booty *G*). Wish I had a better answer for you, but with the wealth of
experiences on this site, I'm sure you'll get some. Take care!
— Joscelin
June 2, 2001
I was just thinking about this very subject. My hair is to my waist and I
just made an appointment to cut it. I am going to be starting a new chapter
in my life and besides my long hair is so passe`... shoulder length is much
more manageable and stylish as well. Join me! This is the time to change
all the old habits... out with the old and in with the new. It will be
lighter, bouncier, shinier, healthier, wavier and it will make you feel
great.
— SusanMaria
June 2, 2001
sorry to be mean or rude but they are just hair.. and they will grow
back... have you think that all this weight (from being long)will not help
you when they will start to fall out by the handfull ??? what will you do
then ? personaly i have shoulder length and they will go away in a nice
short cut just before surgery... they will gros back... and in fack... you
will no longer need your long hair to hide yourself with...
— [Anonymous]
June 2, 2001
Oh well. People make the funniest assumptions! My husband and I both LIKE
long hair, I'm certainly not HIDING behind it. And as I said, I do NOT want
to cut it. Sure, it would grow back, but I've not cut it since 1991 (except
for end trims).
I know lots of it will fall out post-op; that happened post-baby too and I
survived that without a problem.
Looks like I am going to have to solve this one on my own. :-(
— Julia Z.
June 2, 2001
I have waist length hair and I'm 4 weeks post op RNY. I washed and
conditioned my hair the morning of my surgery and my angel braided it
before I went into the OR. It remained in that braid until I was released
from the hospital and home. Once I was home my husband had to help me wash
and braid my hair. After the first week I was able to manage on my own.
Good Luck with your surgery.
— Susan B.
June 2, 2001
Having your hair washed and brushed by your husband is one of the most
wonderful things that you can experience. heaven on earth! Wouldn't now
be a great time for him to learn and practice braiding your hair. Tell him
you'll expect no birthday gifts this year if he'll do this for you (but
only offer that is he doesn't say yes immediately lol). It would be a nice
quiet time for the two of you without worrying about embarassment or
someone you don't know that well. While you practice pre-op, that would a
prefect time for you & he to talk about concerns and fears, etc. Maybe
a crazy idea, but I love it when my husband washes & brushes my hair.
Good luck to you!
— Claire P.
June 2, 2001
Hi Julia,
two things came to mind when I read your question; 1. you will be able to
sit in a shower chair at the hospital and that should alleviate any
shakiness. 2. A little baby powder worked into your scalp and brushed
thru the ends should help keep that "clean hair" feeling for a
bit longer. Hope this helps, best wishes!
— Gail R.
June 2, 2001
How about dry shampoo? Try a larger drug or department store, also more
upscale stores like Origins, Sephora or the Body Shop may have something
that could help. I used some a few years ago...amazing how you sprinkle it
in, shake your head and BOOM Farrah Fawcett WLS!!
— Kellie S.
June 2, 2001
Hi Julia - I don't agree with some of the comments some other people said.
Your long hair is NOT passe, and your NOT "hiding behind it". If
you like it, that's what matters. Personally, I think long hair is
beautiful. And hair isn't "just hair". It's an expression of who
we are. I don't think those people who think "hair is just hair"
would be thrilled if one day their hair turned green or something like
that. If you really love your hair long, then you try to hold on to that
hair the best that you can. I used to have long hair ever since I was a
child and into adulthood. But I reached a point when I felt I didn't want
it anymore, & the shortest it went was just below shoulder length. Then
just before surgery I felt I didn't want to fuss with even that length of
hair post-op, so I went even shorter (& threw a perm in too). I know
what a chore it is to upkeep long hair. But even with shorter hair, you
still have to raise your arms above your head to get that scalp clean. I'm
now 13 days post-op (open RNY) and I can tell you that it was somewhat
uncomfortable with staples tugging slightly, dizziness & weakness, but
it wasn't impossible. And I don't think it will be impossible for you
either. Just take your time. Maybe you can put a chair in the shower to sit
on? I say keep the hair & try your best post-op to clean it. If you
have to go without washing it for a few days, fine. As the days pass
post-op, you'll start to feel more & more moveable & less pain. And
the best thing you can do for recovery is to get yourself moving!
— [Anonymous]
June 2, 2001
Julia -- my hair is fairly long, though not as long as yours! I had mine
french braided into pigtails the night before surgery, and they stayed that
way for nearly a week post-op. By then, I was home and a neighbor
re-braided me every couple of days. Normally, I wash my hair every other
day, but it wasn't a big hassle waiting longer, especially since the braids
stayed in nicely. If you choose to go this route, make sure you get
pigtails, not a braid down the back. I made this mistake once before, and
it was very uncomfortable to lay back on. With the pigtails on the side,
that was not a problem. As an added plus, all the nurses loved the look!
The one thing that stands out from the recovery room, was a nurse asking me
who did my hair! I said, "forget the hair, and give me something for
pain!" Thank goodness I can laugh about it now.
— lpsrabbit
June 2, 2001
Julie. I too have very long hair and am scheduled for the surgery on the
17th of july. I have never for one minute thought of cutting my hair over
this operation. I am very happy with my hair and can't wait till my weight
is gone and my long hair will look even better. If you put the cutting
option out of your mind, when all is said and done you will be so happy you
did. My only concern is my hair falling out in the first few months. But
Ive heard that if you keep up on your zinc and protien your hair will be
fine. Good luck
— Jolie M.
June 2, 2001
I don't want to offend anyone, but we are all supposed to be honest here.
I have very long hair and get really tired of people telling to try a
"new look" and get it cut. I love it. I have always loved long
hair. And frankly get a little suspicious of some of those around me
always asking me to cut it. Some people will quite frankly have you lose
your best asset to make them feel better. Now I'm talking about the people
around ME. I love long hair and am sure you do to. Try this. I've done
this one before. Wash it good, braid it. Now keep it braided and have
someone help you wash your scalp several times and dry it off. You won't
be glamorous, and it might get a bit frizzy. But it will be clean, still
manageable and won't get on your nerves too much to let it go. I laid back
on the edge of the couch, my hubbie used a dishpan to pour water over my
scalp. Soaped up the scalp area. Rinsed it again. Dried it off - it was
a lot easier. I hope I didn't offend anyone, but I'm just being honest.
— [Deactivated Member]
June 2, 2001
Just a comment on someone's suggestion about dry shampoo or baby powder.
That's an excellent suggestion but I'd try that out on a day when you're
not going out anywhere. Because I tried the baby powder thing once and I
ended up looking like I had on one of those powdered wigs from a few
centuries ago. I brushed & brushed & couldn't get the stuff out of
my hair. I have very thick hair so maybe that dry shampoo method works
better for those with thin hair. Give it a try & see how it works on
your hair. The french braid is also a good suggestion because you can go
longer without washing your hair. It doesn't look so dirty in a french
braid.
— lalasmommy
June 2, 2001
Thanks for the french braid, dry shampoo, and scalp washing ideas. I think
I am going to combine them! Now all I need to do is to find a french
braider in my support group and I am all set. :-) And I'll definitely try
out the dry shampoo on my scalp before it's necessary, so I can see if I
like the way it works for me. I don't know why this didn't occur to me
before... I used to use it sometimes on my dog. :-) The other thing I
thought of was getting cornrows again, but the hairstyle that's fun on me
when I was a 19 year old skinny white gal would probably just look stupid
on me as a fat 33 year old. LOL Not to mention it would be expensive to get
it done now because my hair is so long. Watch my profile for the results of
this question... OK, nobody is going to bother to do this, the earliest
surgery date I could possibly get is July 30... but maybe I'll look this
question up again post-op and post how it goes for me here.
— Julia Z.
June 2, 2001
Hi, Julie! I just had mine cut in case I start losing it, but that's a
personal decision. You could always keep it long and if a problem occurs,
handle it then. It may not; some people seem to do fine. I can recommend
a good dry shampoo, though. Sebastian makes it; it's called "Dry
Clean Only." It does a great job on my hair and much easier to use
than wet. All the best!
— CaseyinLA
June 3, 2001
I only wish I had thought to ask this question before my surgery in Feb! I
have hair down to the middle of my back and feel it my best asset. I get
compliments all the time so I didn't want to cut it. Unfortunately I
didn't think of braiding it before I went into the hospital and after 4
days of being in bed my hair looked like Medusa! I am not kidding. I wish
we had taken a picture of it we were laughing so hard. Well, I was laughing
between tears (laughing that hard after surgery isn't very comfortable!)
It took my mom 2 hours and 3 bottles of conditioner to comb it out and we
had to cut some of the bigger rats out of it too! I don't have any idea
how I ended up in dreadlocks so quickly but I must have done ALOT of
tossing and turning while in recovery! Anyway, after we combed it out the
first time I had no problem washing and maintaining it myself, although I
didn't do much but comb it out and let it dry naturally. It takes all day
to dry but I was just lounging around my house anyway. The point is, don't
worry about it too much, don't cut it and DEFINITELY French braid it before
you enter the hospital! Take care and congratulations on your new
beginning. :)
— Kelli B.
June 8, 2001
No need to cut off all your hair, how silly for people to suggest it. I cut
about 4 inches off of my waist length hair before surgery, it makes it a
little easier to brush and tangles much less if the ends are neat. 4 inches
with really long hair is nothing, especially if you have some wave to it.
As for the gross head feeling, you will be so doped up in the hospital you
won't notice _anything_, and while at home the first week life itself will
be a challange, vanity is not much of an issue till about day 7-10 post op.
I braided into pigtails while in the preop area, I looked like Heidi but
know from experiance I can't lay on my back with a single braid, my head
just wants to flop to one side or the other. Also, if your hair dries
slowly, braid it DRY, I braided it wet once and when I undid it on the
third day it was still quite damp in the braid, GROSS.
— M. A. B.
June 8, 2001
I love these questions!!! They may be trivial to some (as you can see the
replies) but I think it's really wonderful to see others honest heartfelt
advice- and it makes you consider things you may not have before/after
surgery!
When I went in to surgery, I just figured a pony tail would be fine so that
is all I prepared for... I was more concerned about which CD's to take
(waste o' time) then my personal appearance. I assumed my hospital room
would HAVE A SHOWER and I would be able to do my routine. Once post-op I
was so miserable not being able to shower everyday, but then again I was
just SO out of it, dealing with pain etc. I wouldn't have been able to
anyway. I was in such a state of confusion, I just sat around being
miserable, stinky and greasy. You see, the hospital a/c was BROKEN- yikes!
Sacramento in the summer is NOT COMFORTABLE. Anyways, back to you,
definitely BRAID your hair, it'll get it out of your face and keep you from
touching it. Bring anti-perspirant, perhaps a fan as well. Bring the dry
shampoo, and maybe some powder for your body. Prepare for the things that
are important to YOU.
PS- I wish I would have brought some face toner/cleanser and baby wipes-you
do sweat a lot and the ones at the hospital felt YUCKKY, you are also
generally too fatigued to get up and wash.
— Karen R.
June 8, 2001
PS- I also think that long hair, while it may go in and out of style, will
never be passe'........
— Karen R.
June 8, 2001
Im facing the same problem with my long hair...but what i am doing is im
going to go to a hair dresser and have them french braid my hair real tight
then when im in surgery and wearing that little cap it wount get in the
way..or when im in the hospital in bed it will still be done up tight..im
not worried about washing it yet to i feel alot better implanning on going
a week without washing it since it will be french braided..then im hoping
after the week i will feel better and have more strenght to work on it
myself
i hope this helps...and DONT CUT IT you will regret it dear
— [Deactivated Member]
June 11, 2001
I read your comment and I will offer another solution to your question. I
have long hair and I usually don't braid it because my arms get too tired,
but I do use a scrunchy and put it in a bun. It is super quick and if you
do it when your hair is still wet you can sleep on it and wake up with it
almost in the same place. However, I am now 3 months post op and the hair
loss has begun. In order to keep my house from becoming a rat's nest of my
hair, I am making the decision to cut my hair shoulder length. It sounds
like you don't want to cut yours and good for you. I am just sharing my
thoughts as a solution that will work for me. Good luck to you. Look for
a picture of me in the next week and I will get a piture out there with my
new "do".
— Melissa C.
August 13, 2001
I ended up cutting it off after all, but I am able to make a 17"
donation to Locks of Love!! For the complete story, check out my profile
page. For before and after photos, have a look here...
http://www.nwlink.com/~juliam/haircut.html
— Julia M.
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