EXTREME HAIR LOSS

I am exactly 4months post VSG and I am experiencing extreme hair loss. It's devastating. I know it's due to the drastic change in my diet and lack of nutrition but my question is... when will it stop falling out (there's not much left) and will it ever grow back??? Has anyone else experienced this?  .... I've lost 48lbs so far and I feel like I'm doing great with everything, I do lack on my protein some days but most of the time I am at least getting 40-60grams a day. I am also taking a multivitamin for women daily. Is there anything else I can do?? I'm desperate. My hair is my pride and joy. I have cut down on washing it so often just so I wont lose as much, I am terrified as soon as I run a brush through it and it's full of hair with just one stroke ugh!! HELP ME PLS!!

Hi THere...

I went through the same thing starting around 3-4 months...I'm almost 7 months out and its finally starting to stop... I had thick curly hair..and now well i still have enough but not so thick no more (which to me is a blessing lol) Anywho..I take Biotin..or you can take the Hair, Nail and Skin pills on top of your vitamins...I stopped washing my hair EVERYDAY to every other day...i tried not to freak out much but it was a lil scary when you have handfuls of hair just coming off...My hair is growing..slowly but it is..i have plenty of short hairs popping up...It's just part of the process...that was the only side effect i had from my surgery. Try not to stress as that doesn't help you either...At this point there is nothing you really can do but just let it do it's thing..i know its not much of a solace but this is something you can't really control :(

Hope it stops soon! Good Luck!

Sabrina

Glad to know I'm not the only one here. I am definitely going out to get me some biotin vitamins tomorrow to take along with my multivitamin. Thanks for your response and encouragement. 

I've lost about 75% of my hair. Fortunately I had a ton to start with. It started coming out about the same time yours did. I'm now 9 months out and it's still coming out, unfortunately. I don't believe any supplements are going to prevent it from coming out but there is some discussion about whether or not it helps with the regrowth. In my case, I have tons of new growth but, obviously, they are very short little hairs at this point. Honestly, the only way I could handle it was to get it cut short in layers. It's a cute style and I like it now.  When it stops falling out and grows back, I may or may not grow it long again.  I've been told it's usually 9-12 months before it stops coming out.

I will add that when I had my lapband back in 2007, I experienced the same thing although not as severe and it DID come back just as thick as before.

It will stop falling out.  In the meantime, you can experiment with fun wigs!  

40 grams of protein is way too low.  You should be getting at least 60 grams.  And are you only taking a multivitamin?  You should also be getting 1500mg of Calcium CITRATE a day.  You should probably schedule an appointment with your surgeon (or PCP) and get blood work done to make sure your vitamins are sufficient - but you need to be taking calcium CITRATE (500mg three times a day).  

I was coming here to post the same thing!! I'm four months post op, and it's been getting so bad lately. But im glad to know I'm not alone and that eventually it will stop hopefully while I still have hair left!! I'm going to try getting the Biotin I keep hearing people talk about.

The hair loss after surgery is caused by telogen effluvium.  You will either have it or you won't.  There's nothing you can do to stop it.  Mine started at 3-1/2 months and stopped at 9 months.

I tried taking biotin, but grew coarse, thick hair on my face and body and stopped it immediately.  Are you sure you're taking enough vitamins and the right type of vitamin?  

My surgeon recommends 80 grams of protein per day.  If you're only getting 40 grams, that could make the hair loss worse.  

I was a hairdresser in the 1970's.  Back then they gave women anesthesia to have babies.  At about three months after they gave birth their hair thinned out and it came back at about nine months.  Biotin will grow facial hair, and I would recommend staying away from it.

The hair loss is because when they put you to sleep for surgery, your hair follicles also went to sleep.  The follicles take about three months to finally release the hair that died during surgery.  Cutting down on shampooing will just keep the dead hair in place longer.  Not shampooing encourages the scalp to hold on to substances that block the hair follicle and keep it from recovering.  The dead hair blocking the follicle keeps it from producing a new hair.

Your body now has a limited supply of food to work with and is going to put the protein to work on things like your heart and muscles.  Your body considers hair and nails just decorations and is going to portion out nutrition to body parts it considers more important.

The more protein and calcium you take in, the more your body can spare for hair and nails.

Wash your hair as often as you did before surgery. It's true it may seem to speed up the hair loss, but the "dead" hair is going to fall out anyway. Also, rubbing your scalp (while washing) will help the new hairs that are coming in.

This is a temporary situation, try not to let it overshadow your WLS victories!  

I'm getting VSG feburary 11th.. I'm so scared for my hair to fall out :(.. Being a big girl for most of my adult life ( im 33).. Hair and makeup was all I had. I already talked toy hair dresser.. As soon as my hair falls out I'm running to the salon for extensions.