Help! My hair is falling out!!

Just this week my hair has been falling out by the handfuls.  It was pretty thin to begin with, but now it is falling out like crazy.  I have been taking Biotin (even have doubled the dosage) - what else should I be doing? 

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Linda

Unfortunatley its going to continue falling out.  Its due to the surgery and the malnutrition component that the first few months brings.  But do not worry, it will start growing back, you will see baby hair soon!
Its natural and I hate to say it, but your hair will look worse before it looks better. 

Try not to worry so much, if it really bothers you , you can aways purchase a wig like i did, and its a lot of fun to change daily :)
I also added headbands and wraps around the fake hair to make it appear more real...
You can be anyone in a wig :)

Hang in there!

Sorry you are experiencing this, but it is totally normal.  I will be 6 months tomorrow and my hair loss has slowed considerably in the past few weeks.  I began losing hair by 3 months out.

Sucks, doesn't it?!  The hair falling out now is based on the first few months as a post-op.  Anything you do now is just for your future hair.  Keep up the biotin and protein.  Even though I knew it was going to happen, it hurts when it does.  I cut mine short so I didn't have to watch long hair fall out.

One day it magically stopped falling out.  The growing back stage sucks, too.  My chia pet hair is sticking up and the texture is coarse, dry and wiry.  Today I am going for a Brazilian Blowout.  I can't wait!!!!!!!!  It signifies the end of the yucky stage for me.  You, too, will get through this stage. 

Cheers,
Cathy

Some people have good results with Nioxin products.  I've used the shampoo and conditioner and took the Biotin and Hair and Skin vits pre-DS for extreme stress-induced hair loss.  It seemed to help over time.  I don't know if it would have resolved to the same extent on its own.  I didn't want to wait and find out in case it didn't.

BTW-I send you a PM.
Lisa

I feel your pain... there isn't much you can do about it. In time it'll stop falling back and you'll have crazy regrowth that is hard to tame when it's short! Be patient, it's all worth it!

Lisa

I think I may be the board weirdo on the hair issues.  I have had several major surgeries and the only time I lost any hair was with my first WLS. I was getting almost zero protein and I really think, in my case, that was the cause.  Your hair is made up of over 90% protein so it makes sense to me. 

I know all about the telogen effluvium and that is probably the case for most people here. You had a rough time and more shock to your system than most.
http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/telogen_efflu vium.html

After my DS surgery, I was getting in close to 90gms of protein in by week 3, which I know is not the case for most and I did not lose any hair. How much protein are you able to get in now?

Anyway, once you have started losing the hair it has to go through the cycle, but it will grow back.  Lori Black wore wigs and looked totally hot in them.

Hang in there!

Michele

Well, I'm going to echo what Michelle just said.  I have had surgeries before and lost gobs of hair, but didn't lose much with my DS surgery.  I credit this to getting in at least 90 grams of protein a day from the first week on.  I drank liquid protein whey isolate.  A bariatric nurse told me in the hospital to make sure and get my protein in every day, or my hair would fall out.  I listened to her and did it.  I also took huge doses of Biotin from the first week.  I did have handfuls come out in the shower, but it didn't make a noticeable difference.  My hair stylist even commented that I am the only WLS customer she sees who didn't lose hair.  She's seen me for the past 15 years, too. 

Up your protein with some liquid protein, and up your Biotin, as well as your E, and anything else that helps hair growth.  But remember, it's TEMPORARY.  Don't freak out, don't count hairs, just wear your hair different and roll with it.  It's just hair.  It grows back. 

 I feel your pain. Im about a month further out than you and mine just started coming out big time. I also took 5 biotin per day and made sure to get my protein in because I was NOT GOING TO LOSE MY HAIR........... Well...it didnt work and I cannot believe the globs of hair coming out its a bit scarey. At this rate I will be bald soon. My hair is long enough to wear up so im able to hide it for the most part besides the big bald hole near my part.

I wear extensions in my hair because my hair thinned so much.  I had average thickness but very fine hair before my surgery almost 18 mos. ago.  It is still very thin so extensions do the tric****il it decides to grow back.  I hope, I hope.