Question:
Is it better to have long hair or short hair when experiencing hair loss?
I am pre-op and I wanted to know if longer hair would cover up hair loss or does so much hair come out that it doesn't matter. — Leanne S. (posted on May 10, 2002)
May 10, 2002
Hi Leanne,
I had hair to my butt, when it started to fall out(about three months out)
I went and cut about 6-8 inches off. It personally made a difference for
me. No one else could tell I was losing hair but the longer it was, it
looked like more was falling out then what really was. I now have hair
around my shoulder blades. :o) Best of luck Tish
— Tisha W.
May 10, 2002
Pre-op here but I lost a lot of hair when I became ill - uncontrolled
diabetes. Basically my long hair made me look a lot like a cancer victim.
Not good. It took two cuts before I finally had it cut very short. I
looked 100% better and had many compliments. I'm not saying you should cut
it short now. But if your hair loss does turn out to be significant to the
point of it becoming noticable, I really would recommend shorter hair then.
— Shelly S.
May 10, 2002
I have always had long hair, but I chopped it all of when it started
falling out after WLS. I'm talking 2 inches long, all over my head. It
looked really bad for a few months (bald spots), but now, as my hair has
returned to normal, it looks great. It's filling out and looks better than
it has in years!
— Terissa R.
May 10, 2002
I *started* with fine, thin hair. I ended up cutting mine back shorter,
then even shorter in hopes of giving it some body and life. Mine ended up
2 inches all over also, but being that short you could see straight thru to
my scalp! Yikes! I was paranoid about it, but others said you couldn't
tell. Either they were just being nice, or I worried too much about it.
After a month of growth, I started getting a lot of compliments on it. In
the beginning, at the rate it was falling out, I thought that I would be
completely bald though. That didn't happen, and the loss has slowed
dramatically. It is just a short period of time of hair loss that you
think will never end, but it does, and you get through it, and you still
have hair. Good luck.
— Cheri M.
May 11, 2002
Well, I suppose I am in the minority here. I started with long (below my
shoulders)and very thick hair. I lost about 50-75% of my hair. I only cut
it once-to just shoulder length. I wear my hair one length and pulled back
in a head band most of the time. I am so glad I did not cut my hair any
shorter or into a layered style. Now that my hair is sprouting- I have
thousands and thousands of 3 inch sprouts all over-the style that I wear
hides these. Really, I am the only one that knows that they are there. The
ends of my hair are thinnner, but with pulling it back, it sort of
"doubles-up" the thickness. (make sense?) I am really tired of my
hair style and am soooooo ready for a change. However, it looks like I am
stuck with this style for about 6 more months while these sprouts get
longer. I would love to get a perm, but I think it would be a hairdressers
nightmare!! ( also, what would happen to those 3 inch curly sprouts??) I
have a big fear of the unknown, and right now my hair is acceptable. Again,
I am so glad that I did not cut my hair short-I was very tempted but am now
glad I stuck with it. Shelley
— Shelley.
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