Question:
What's this about hair loss? What causes it and does everyone

go through this. What can be done so it doesn't happen to you if you get the surgery done.    — sweet tooth (posted on May 2, 2005)

May 2, 2005
There are a ton of hair loss questions in the Q & A library, please give it a look. There are also many different reasons as to why hair loss occurs after these types of surgery and no one really knows exactly what causes it.
   — lizinPA

May 2, 2005
Well, that is a debated question. Some say it is the lack of protein and some say it is the shock of being put under and having anaesthsia. I say it is a combo of both because with other major surgeries I have had I had varying degrees of hair loss but not as much as with my RNY. So, I truely believe it is mostly from the lack of protein. Some say to use biotin supplements but I did and my hair still got real thin and I was very faithful with taking it. I don't know maybe for some it works but for me it did not. Most people are going to loose some of their hair to varying degrees that is a given. You just cannot avoid the fact that you have such a reduced protein intake. Some people will have their protein thru a g-tube and good for them but for most we eat and drink it the old fashioned way. I am happy to say that my hair came back in, tho it took a while and it came back in fuller and got wavier and curlier than pre op.
   — ChristineB

May 2, 2005
There is no guarentee that you will lose hair after WLS. Some people lose hair after getting more than the required amount; some people don't lose any after being negligent in their nutrition. The best thing you can do is take your supplements and be dilligent in getting in all of the protein you can EVERY DAY. The effects of eating poorly will not be immediately seen- it might take 3 months to see hair loss after having a few weeks of low protein consumption. Some people have found that elevated amounts of folic acid and zinc have helped strengthen hair and nairs when taken for months before surgery. I had nearly total hair loss 2 years before WLS and it all came back, plus more- and with supplements I did not lose any hair after WLS although I had months of poor nutrition. Several health professionals have told me that a shock to the body can be a cause of great hair loss.
   — kultgirl

May 3, 2005
I'm disappointed to tell you that I believe that there is no escape from hair loss. I had surgery 5 months ago and am just now experiencing hair loss on a large scale. I took evey supplement that is recommended and I even went and got gnc's hair nails, and skin vitamins. But on a lighter note my skin looks great!:) Don't worry it will grow back. I am being positive because the weight loss was well worth a little hair loss.
   — jorene1675

May 3, 2005
I never lost any hair and I am 2 1/2years out. I have a very thick head of hair and would not of missed some hair loss. I did not do or take anything special. I did have daily protien drinks and childrens vitamins. Good luck on your journey!
   — cathy G.

May 3, 2005
I did lose hair and I was very faithful with getting more protein than recommended, I took my vitamins faithfully, took biotin, blah, blah, blah.etc., etc.,.......and I still lost it but I lost it as well after I had both babies, after I had a hysterectomy, and after I had my thyroid gland reduced with radiation. So I was pretty sure I was going to lose some hair and I did. I had already decided I'd rather wear a wig the rest of my life if I had to rather than continue to be obese so when it got really thin, I just started looking at wigs. The good news, before I had to buy one, my hair started to grow back. To help it along I started using the Nioxin products and I also increased the biotin. Now my hair is thicker than it's ever been and the texture has changed as well and I have fingernails too! So, three or four months with thin hair was a small price to pay. You may be lucky, you may not, but it will grow back and you'll look beautiful!
   — scbabe

May 3, 2005
It passes. I am so glad that I found the following on this site. I lost hair when I was peri-menapausal, and literally freaked out. I have very thick hair, and no one knew but I, but I was so scared. It eventually just stopped. Wish I would have had this information then. If you can, save this and pass it on in the future. Once again, thank you to the person that posted it. It gave me great relief. GOOD HAIR INFO. 1. : hair loss Question: How do I stop hair loss from happening? I had my surgery at the end of December 2004 and now three months later my hair is falling out. I want to know is there anything I can do about it? - Kellie Peay Post your answer to this question Post your own question on hair loss 04/04/05: Kellie: Here is some info I found on an internet medical site, concerning hair loss (telogen effluvium). I honestly don't think there's much you can do to stop it or even prevent it (and I tried a bunch of stuff). Hang in there - it usually stops after about 3 months, and you'll see your hair starting to grow back in. Good luck. Telogen effluvium is the name for temporary hair loss that follows some shock to the system. Cause In a normal healthy person's scalp about 85% of the hair follicles are actively growing hair and 15% are resting. A hair follicle usually grows hair for 4 years then rests for 4 months. The old hair then falls out and a new hair begins to grow. When the hair rests it changes into a club hair. When the new hair starts it forms under the resting club hair and pushes it out. Thus, it is normal to lose up to about 100 hairs a day on one's comb, brush, in the basin or on the pillow, as a result of the normal scalp hair cycle. If there is some shock to the system, as many as 70% of the scalp hairs can be precipitated into a resting state, thus reversing the usual ratio. Typical precipitants include: Illness Operation Accident Childbirth Nervous shock Weight loss or unusual diet Discontinuing the contraceptive pill Overseas travel resulting in jetlag. The resting scalp hairs, now in the form of club hairs, remain firmly attached to the hair follicles at first. It is only about 2 months after the shock that the new hairs coming up through the scalp push out the "dead" club hairs and increased hair fall is noticed. Thus, paradoxically, with this type of hair loss, hair fall is a sign of hair regrowth. As the new hair first comes up through the scalp and pushes out the dead hair a fine fringe of new hair is often evident along the forehead hairline. At first the fall of club hairs is profuse and a general thinning of the scalp hair may become evident but after several months a peak is reached and hair fall begins to lessen, gradually tapering back to normal over 6-9 months. As the hair fall tapers off the scalp thickens back up to normal, but recovery may be incomplete in some cases. Because nail and hair growth are under the same influences, an arrest in hair growth is often mirrored in the nails by a groove across them coinciding with the time of the shock to the system. The time of the shock can be estimated from the fact that a finger nail takes 5 months to grow from the posterior nail fold to the free edge. So if the groove in the nail is half way down the nail then the shock must have been 2 1/2 months ago. Treatment Telogen effluvium is self-correcting. It is really not influenced by any treatment that can be given. However, gentle handling of the hair, avoiding over-vigorous combing, brushing and any type of scalp massage are important. You should also ensure a nutritious diet, with plenty of protein, fruit and vegetables. The doctor may check your levels of iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid, as any deficiency in these can slow hair growth. Related information On DermNet: Hair loss Alopecia areata Other web sites: Telogen effluvium - from emedicine dermatology, the on-line textbook. - Carlita
   — lindarodham6