Losing hair already :(

Ugh, the past couple of weeks I have noticed that my hair is thinning at a concerning rate already!  I have always been a shedder, but this time it's a lot more and I can feel a huge difference in my pony tail.  I knew this might happen but I thought I had more time before it started.
First of all, if you start thinning earlier does that also mean that you will quit thinning earlier or not?  Also, I would like to know has anyone resorted to wigs and/or extentions?  I may be very interested in extentions.  Anything you can suggest? 

Hey Sherri,

I, too, started losing my hair fairly soon after surgery. People here on OH said it's normal, but my surgeon said it wouldn't start until abotu 6 mos out, so who to believe? Like ******** everyone has an opinion and/or advice. Didn't really matter what anyone said anyhow, it was happening when it was happening. Already having baby-fine and super-thin hair to begin with, I didn't have far to go before I started having bald spots I couldn't tease my other hair up to cover . I did then and continue to faithly take my bariatric vitamins, got in the recommended protein, 5,000 mcg of Biotin, and even used speciality shampoos...nothing worked for me. Not saying that it doesn't work for some people, but just not for me. I finally ended up cutting all my hair off, down to 1" everywhere, and started wearing wigs...which was a big and emotional step in and of itself. Email me if you want more info about that. My profile picture is me in one of the wigs I bought.

Now, I'm 10 months out and am starting to get some hair growth back that's actually staying. BTW, I finished a bottle of Biotin and didn't buy anymore about 2 months ago and the hair is still coming back...go figure. Doesn't matter to me, however, because about 4 months ago, I started digging the "spike" look I was making to my hair and I've been without the wig every since. I LOVE, ADORE, EMBRACE my current short, spiked look and have no plans of letting my hair grow long ever again. My hair stylist and I laugh and joke and like to say that a woman who can carry off the spiked hair look at the age of 46 definately has the "I just don't give a ****" attitude! The freedom I have now is amazing to me and I feel sorry for those women who spend 1/2 hour or more in the bathroom every day "fixing" their hair. I think we all need to just let it go and embrace our naturalness and stop letting society, magazines, commercials, newspapers, etc., manipulate us into trying to make us feel not good enough or beautiful enough as we truly are.

Anyway, do some soul searching and embrace everything that's happening to you, as it's all a learning and growing period for us to make us into better people.

{hugs}
Maggie

 Make sure you're getting in enough protein, not just minimum. I've heard others talk about biotin suppliments and, having naturally thin hair, have had success but it's a slow process to grow hair back. I'd bought clip in extensions at Sally's Beauty Supply for about $80 for special occasions. It's human hair so can be dyed or cut to match your hair & styled however. I usually use them in a long ponytail and wrap the excess around the base of the tail, or use as a really thick bun.

Are you getting enough protein in?  i understand that is a key factor in this

I beleive this is a myth (though it might be worse if you don't get any protein in)

I was getting 70 g of protein or more daily for 6 months prior to WLS, and from three days post-op on.... yet I still lost a LOT of my volume.

Sorry to hear that.  Not sure if it's a myth or not,  Just know that's what i have heard alot of  that you need to get in alot of protein,  may be more or different for women.  I hdd to have 80 - 120 grams per day  and let me tell you that was hard to do

I was a few months out when it started.  It stopped, and I started seeing regrowth about 9 months out.  It was a scarey amount of hair - but never got so thin that you could see through it.  I did cut my hair shorter than I have ever had it before.  It really helped with the appearance of fuller hair.  Now, it's come back with curl, my hair was always quite straight. 

I never tried anything to stop it -- my surgeon's office told me what others had tried and that they didn't see any evidence to suggest that anything made a real difference.  They did say that biotin wouldn't hurt. 

I started at 10 weeks, and stopped 12 weeks later

Although I didn't experience hair loss, I made the decision in advance to not use Biotin. I have never had leg hair so never had to shave them. Biotin doesn't discriminate where it promotes hair growth. I didn't want a mustache or hairy legs

Martha

 Protein intake has nothing to do with the hair loss that is experienced about three months after an illness or major surgery.  It is certainly a good sales pitch for protein salespeople to say that the hair loss can be prevented with a lot of protein intake. 

 Surgery or illness results in stress to the body.  That stress often causes overgrowth of the hormone DHT.  Hair follicles slowly shrink and die in the presence of DHT. This causes 95% of all hair loss. DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) can be blocked with many over the counter products.  At present Nioxin System 4 is the most popular one.  There are many others.

 If the DHT is uncontrolled the hair follicle will shrink and the hair will fall out.  For most people, even with no treatment, the body’s hormones will balance again and the shredding will go away. 

 I began on a DHT blocker the day I came home from surgery.  I had no hair loss.  Instead of giving my friends flowers when they have surgery, I bring them a DHT blocking treatment.