Hair Loss Reality

Hi everyone!  This is my first post on the boards.  I've been doing A LOT of reading the past week or so, but I'm still really worried about significant hair loss post-op.  I think I had gotten to the point where I believed if I ate well and took vitamins (maybe even pre-natal vitamins), then hair loss wouldn't be an issue, but I've read posts from people who are years out of the surgery and eat well and take vitamins who lost a lot of hair and it hasn't seemed to grow back.

Does anyone have any personal experience with this?  I'm especially interested in those who are a few years out of a VSG or have scientific/medical informaiton.  I'm so concerned about this that it's making me hesitate about having a VSG at the end of next month even though I am super morbidly obese.

Thanks in advance!

All WLS have the potentail for hair loss.

My surgeon told me if I keep my protein at 70-100 grams per day I would not have hair loss issues. I did keep my protein up and have not had any hair loss issues.

A friend who had the sleeve 3 months ago contacted me about her hair loss. We talked over her diet and determined she was getting 30-45 grams of protein per day. She's since increased per protein cinsumption and hopefully will see a change.

Protein and vitamins are a good defense against hair loss post-op.

Good luck,
George

 I did have hairloss about month 4, but it wasn't really that dramatic.  In fact, I don't know if I've read of anyone who did have drastic hairloss.  I'm sure it can happen.  

I have lots of long hair, so I was scared.  I shed like a cat, but it was only really noticeable to me, and mostly lost it on the front of one side.  Now, a year out (so, about 8 months since losing hair), I have little 3" wispy new hair growth on that side.  But believe me, in the scheme of things this is such a minor concern.  I would way rather lose hair for a couple months than be obese forever.

I've been through way too many surgeries in my lifetime (only 2 were WLS) and everytime 3 months post-op rolls around I start losing my hair...it's an after effect of the anesthesia.  It lasts me about 4 months and then it starts to grow back in.  I'm very lucky that I've always had long thick hair so the only one *****ally notices is me and my hairdresser, but it isn't fun to see all that hair come out as I'm brushing it.  It's still better than being 125 pounds overweight!

Try to keep your protein over 100gms a day and make sure you take all your supplements to keep the hair loss as minimal as possible, but there will be some hair loss.  It almost always grows back.

Aloha TCs-

There is a medical phenomenon called telogen effluvium- increased stressors to your body ( metabolic, anesthetic, pregnancy, etc)  can elicit hair loss 3-6 months post traumatic event.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1071566-overview

I hit adequate protein levels within 3 weeks of VSG ( 60+ g/day) and took all vites and still lost a significant portion of my hair- same thing happened with each of my 2 pregnancies, and at about the same time ( 4 months post op). Stopped by 6 months, grew in very frizzy.

I did not want to repeat this after plastics, as plastic surgery was an even bigger procedure to go through ( 7 hours of anesthesia, far more healing, etc) so I upped my protein to 125 g+ /day 3 weeks prior to plastics, and also started a product ( on a fluke) called Ovation Cell Hair Therapy. I know it sounds like a gag, but I was desperate to not repeat the hair loss thing ( my friend told me it was more traumatic to lose her hair than her breast when she was dealing with breast cancer!!!).

I've even posted about Ovation Cell Hair Therapy before on this and the plastics board- it WORKS ( at least for me!). My hair never fell out, and within 2 weeks was noticably softer. My hairdresser is now sold on it as she's taken care of my hair for the past 5 years and saw what I went through. Nope, not evidence based medicine, merely anecdotal...but I swear by it. The cost is no more than my color treated hair products.  It's now longer than it's been in YEARS and thicker ( that is documented by having to buy bigger pony tail elastics!).

So give it a try and up your protein pre op- it will be difficult post op.
And yes, my new body and vitality is worth any amount of baldness I might have had to go through- my husband agrees!

XOXOLori

Hair grows back!  I lost hair during the 3rd year with my Lap Band when I acutually lost weight for the first time with it and WW - 62lbs that year.  I shed some of my hair and then it grew back.  We have lot of hormones in our fat cells and when they deflate, it has some huge impact.

Someone with male patterned baldness,  PCOS, or some form of alopecia not relating to the new weight loss will most likely not resolve.

At 400lbs, you will have to lose weight to continue to live.  Even if you lose it "the old fashioned way", you will more than likely shed some hair.  400lbs is more terrifying than complete baldness which no one quite achieves with massive weight loss.

I won't be singing and dancing when and if my hair starts to shed BUT I'll be dancing on the ceiling about possibly dodging the diabetes bullet, about lowering my chances for hypertension, about lessening the burden on my poor little heart.  This is do or die.  I wouldn't want to, but I could always buy a wig.

Good luck!

I use to have very thick shoulder length hair got the lap band and it thinned out so bad, has never gained its thickness although now it is very long and thin  . I had my revision surgery on 3/22 and am just now noticing my hair starting to come out. This sucks I may have to rock some wigs for a minute hopefully not. I've learned everything in life is a trade off.

I'm newly sleeved - so far no hairloss - but it doesn't ussually happen for several months!  I for one couldn't care less if I lose every strand of hair if it means I can be healthy  and "normal" size for the rest of my life. 

Most people I have seen on here don't go bald - they lost some hair and it all grew back - sometimes even nicer.

Good luck making your decision.

Thank you all for your input and support.  I'm definitely going to make sure I get in my protein and vitamins pre and post op so if I do lose some hair, then I'll be able to grow it back. 

I can speak from personal experience.  My hair loss started immediately after the surgery and I thought it was from the anesthesia and would eventually stop.  It has not. It's been 2 years since my lapband and what little hair I have left is cut very short and spikey to give the illusion of having hair.   My beautician says I have a "double crown", nice way to say you have a huge bald spot in the back of your head.  I drink protein shakes since I am a vegeterian and I take liquid vitamins since swallowing pills doesn't work well with the band.

I have tried everything. (extra protein, biotin, selenium, horsetail tea, vitamins, special shampoos, endocrinologist, dermatologist, meditation, accupuncture).  I throw my hands up and have accepted it. It is what it is, and unfortunately a hard lesson learned.

If you or anyone you know is thinking of having the lapband done, write/talk to me 1st.  I will be honest with you in my own personal experience.