hair loss- SOS

[puplover24]

I know everyone warned me about this, but I guess it's one of those things you don't realize will actually happen. the past few weeks i have been loosing a little hair but over the past weekend if I run my hands to through my hair it looks like I am going through chemo. I talked to nut and added biotin 5,000 and zinc 15 but I think I just need reassurance this is normal.

[ltlsqueak]

Thank you for this post! I have already started taking the biotin although I haven't had my surgery. I will have to ask about the zinc. Let us know if it helps. Awesome job on your weight loss!!! Keep up the hard work and please keep us posted on the biotin and zinc.

[brightnessofhope]

I haven't had the sleeve yet, but would like to offer some food for thought. I have thrice had hair loss due to dieting- all three times were when I did low carb PLUS low, low fat, and lost weight very fast. I believe it's either from lack of fat or just the body being in shock due to rapid weight loss. But your hair will return- but it's quite discouraging when you are in the midst of watching it cover the shower drain daily!

[CarriD]

I am dealing with this too for about a month now. It is making me insane. I keep my hair short, crazy and spikey, but just because it's short does not mean I am okay with it falling out completely! I was reassured by the doc that this is normal and by my nut as well, but it looks like a hair monster attacked the shower wall when I get out.. and running my hands through it, it just falls out like it's the normal thing to do. I have now cut it super short because it has thinned so much that it will not cooperate! I hope this is short term. Doc said I could take the biotin, but that if I get my protein in like I am suppose to it will stop! Oh I hope so!

[christark]

My friend had this issue as well. It was from not getting enough vitamins, or taking the wrong ones. You need to take LIQUID vitamens. They absorb into your system better than pills. Once she started taking the correct vitamins her hair loss stopped! good luck to you

[Marvinator]

Someone explained to me that the hair loss is due to the body being in starvation mode and it has to choose functions to shut down in order to keep operating. It considers hair growth as one of the least vital functions thus in order to preserve resources, that function is set aside in favor of other functions.

[dackn8tr]

I started this process with very thick curly hair and lost a LOT of it after surgery and know exactly how discouraging this is but I promise you it WILL stop and it WILL grow back! Mine started falling out around 2 1/2 months post-op and stopped right around 6 months so there is an end in sight to this! LIke everything else with this surgery, different things work for different people, nothing that I took or ate or drank stopped it all together but I feel like a couple things helped me personally. I started taking my Biotin twice a day, one 5,000 mg in the morning & another at night (about 12 hours apart) and I noticed the gentler I was on my hair the less came out at a time. I also started using Garnier's "Fall Fight" shampoo & conditioner & a leave in detangling spray by Pantene that left my hair silkier so it was easier to get through with my brush.

When this started for me I did a lot of research and spoke to quite a few people about it (dr's and other sleevers) and I found out 2 things, first of all there is nothing you can do or could have done that would absoluetly keep this from happening! I think that protein, vitamins and water absolutely play a factor in this because it is a way our body tells us we're lacking certain vitamins/minerals, but when i was dealing with it people made me feel like i'd done something wrong and they hadn't because mine was coming out by the handfuls and they didn't lose a hair but that is NOT the case ... some people are just lucky in this regard and don't experience hair loss while others of us do. Secondly I was told by my doctor that it's a combination of the rapid weight loss and the anesthesia that cause this to happen. I have a friend at work who had her knee replaced a few months ago and said she noticed definite increase in her hair shedding that few months after surgery but the combination of the 2 factors for us makes it more pronounced. Keep up the great work you're doing and this too shall pass!!

[dgoerlitz]

Not only did I lose hair, but the texture of my hair is changing. I started about the 3 month mark and it finally ended at about 7 months out. I take 2 multivitamins daily, 2 biotin (5,000 mg), and I wash and condition my hair with a collegen biotin shampoo that I found at CVS. I think it's helping. I know I need to shave my legs a lot more often, so at least that hair is growing more. I also have A LOT of new growth right now that is a bit disruley, but when it gets too crazy, I just clip it up.

[jlovetro]

I am 3 weeks post op and I am hoping I am one of the lucky ones that don't get hair loss since my hair is fine as it is. I have been keeping my meals to mostly high protein low carb if any and low fat. That's what scares me the most is hair loss. Gonna start taking biotin and zinc hopefulyy if it does happen it will be short lived and shedding will be minimal.

[Ann2]

Well, this is helpful info for me. Sounds like the hair loss happens to most people (although not to a lucky few). And that the hair loss eventually stops and your "lost" hair comes back. All I can think about is: What if I had cancer and were getting chemo -- it would be a lot worse!

That's one of my ways to deal with difficulties -- imagine something worse that some people struggle with and then be grateful I'm not dealing with that bigger problem. Which is why they call me ...

Polly(Ann2)a

[pconrad]

Hi Folks: My hair kindof sucked the first year - like everyone said take vitamins, iron if necessary, enough protein, biotin, and try to relax...anyone with a pet knows stress makes you 'shed'...I'm 2 years out and my hair's never been better (better than current picture).

[puplover24]

thank you all so much for your advice and kind words. I feel 100 times better now

[Kelli D]

Hey there! I see that you are doing pretty terrific yourself! I am losing some hair but not handfuls. I am taking the biotin but it doesn't stop hair from falling out but it does keep the hair you have in good shape. I have heard that zinc can help but haven't done anything with it. I do try to get at least 70g of protein a day and have from the beginning. I asked my hair stylist what I could do in case my hair started falling out and he recommended this shampoo and conditioner called Revita. You can order it on Amazon but it is a little pricey. It is a follicle stimulator so it helps to generator the hair a little quicker. My objective was to start hair growing while I am losing at the same time hopefully this will balance out some. He went to a seminar on the shampoo and put some of his clients with hair pattern baldness and they did grow hair. He did not try and push the product on me he actually tried to talk me out of it because he didn't think I would need it. Knowing what I have learned on here I ordered it anyway. The last time I saw him he checked my head and I do have new growth which I am hoping will balance out with what I am losing. Keep up the great job you are doing terrific!!

[megameter]

I have also heard that general anesthesia can cause hair loss. I don't remember where I read it but basically general anesthesia causes your hair to chenge from a growth cycle to a rest cycle, and after a few months in the rest cycle, the hair falls out. usually only aout 10% or less of your hair is in a rest cycle but the anesthesia can cause the sytme to go haywire. That is why any surgery done with general can cause hair loss. Add that to the dual problems of protein and vitamin deficiencies for the first week or so after surgery and your body just can't cope so the hair comes out.

My surgeons office suggested a zinc supplement as they have seen some anecdotal evidence that it helps and it doesn't hurt anything.

[Mermaidmb]

Same thing happened to me around month 3, it stopped after about 2 months. I was in hospital in July for a week and not taking my vitamins as I was throwing up constantly from getting off some meds and it just started coming out again a few weeks ago. I took 5000mg of Biotin a day and I think it helps, just be patient and give yourself some time. I also cut my hair short so I don't have to brush it as much to prevent it.