Worried about future hair loss

I have two weeks untl surgury and to be honest "the hair loss process" worries me the most. I am having panic attacks thinking about this. Can someone tell me when this usually starts, how bad it can get and when it should end? :( 

Usually starts about three months out and lasts another three months or so.  Some people hardly  notice it.  Others lose a lot more.

If you're having panic attacks just thinking about it, are you in therapy?  If not, you might wanna find a therapist because if just thinking about it causes panic attacks, what's going to happen if/when it actually starts to happen?

What Kelly said.  If you are truly having even small panic attacks just hinting about looking some of your hair, a therapist is probably a really good idea.

Some people lose so little hair taht they barely notice it themselves; some people lose enough that they buy wigs to wear until the hair has had a chance to grow back.  MOST people, however, lose a moderate amount and find that cutting it a bit shorter to make it look fuller camouflages it enough that others don't notice it.

Keep in mind that you will be losing weight fairly rapidly during the first 6 months, so most people will be focused on how much tinner your fa and body are rather than on your hair.  Also, even if you lose a lot of hair (I lost half of mine), there are SO many wonderful things about being a normal size that it really makes the hair issue seem pretty minor.

Lora

Then get your protein in from day one.  Take your vitamins, especially any you will malabsorb due to your weight loss surgery.  But understand that hair growth DEPENDS ON PROTEIN first, so all the vitamins in the world will not grow hair unless you are taking in MORE THAN ADEQUATE amounts of ANIMAL PROTEIN.  Not collagen (read labels) like pig skins and some "bullets" that are sold as protein sources.  Animal protein is the best source for protein.  Whey protein ISOLATE is the most bioavailable and most easily absorbed, if you go shake form.  If you haven't already, get a bunch of samples of protein shakes from on line.  Vitalady sells the widest variety that I know of, and she even mixes some custom flavors of her own. 

Last time I checked collagen is an animal protein. We need complex animal proteins - like whey, meat, fish, but do not discard other sources like vegetable complex proteins. 

Also - collagen protein is great in addition to minimum daily dosage of complex proteins. We need collegen type proteins for good skin, nails, hairs.. We need complex for muscles and internal organs... Google if you don't know that.

All the protein in the world, however, will not prevent hair loss from telogen effluvium!  Getting plenty of protein can keep it from being worse than it might have been without adequate protein intake, but that's as good as it gets. 

I too was worried about the hair loss. I'm 5 months post op and have lost over half of my thick mane.  It has slowed down, but I'm still losing.  Thought it would bother me more than it does.  

I been wearing my hair up in a pony tail because if I don't, I leave small wads of hair everywhere.  Nobody has noticed except myself and my hair dresser.  However everyone has notices the weightloss.  

It is growing back...I look like a dandion with all the new growth.  Do I regret the surgery because if the hairless?  Not one bit!  My hair might be thinner, but so is the rest of me.

YES! In the past week, I have noticed a little frizzy halo of my new baby hair. :) I got a haircut today and we had a good laugh at it. I am relieved to see it's growing back in. 

Skinny feels better than bald looks. ;-)

to the OP: I'm just kidding. I'm not really bald, nobody has noticed but me, but I can do my hair with one less hot roller in the morning.

Laurie

LOL MMmom...I never thought about comparing my hair regrowth as looking like a dandelion, but you are right...it sort-of did look like it. But I was soooo happy to see it. Looks silly for about 2 weeks until it would lay down, but it was tolerable.

Hair loss is such a minor inconvenience to think about!  It's another good reason to get in your protein, since it's the key to avoiding it.  And a couple of months after it starts, the regrowth comes in anyway.  Temporary situation.