Hair Loss

I'm still very new to this forum... But I wanted to ask a few more questions...

Did you loose hair after your sleeve? Did you loose all of it or How much hair did you loose? At what point in the process did you loose your hair and get it back? 

Thanks in advance for your comments. I have never been one who has been attached to their hair except for the last three years. I never hought I had the right kind of hair that would look good when it was long because anytime I tried to grow it out it looked stringy and unhealthy. I have found some products that have kept my hair heathy the last three years and now I have soft beautiful long brown hair. It is something on my body that makes me feel beautiful, and I'm sure most of you know when you are morbidly obese it's hard to find things about your body that you like and that make your feel beautiful. I don't think I am a vain person but for some reason this has caused me anxiety about having the surgery. Don't get me wrong- I still 100% planning on it but just looking for some real life facts on this instead of what I have been reading when researching the VSG!

Most lose hair between three and six months after surgery.  Taking your vitamins, getting lots of protein and keeping your scalp healthy can help it to come back stronger.

It does come back and many people go to a shorter style so that it is less noticeable. 

I cannot even express to you how scared and anxious I am about the hair loss because I already have scarring alopecia, which is permanent hair loss with no cure. I already have bald spots on my head so I am sure things will worsen from the surgery. However, even if i have to wear a wig I cant live like this any longer. It took me a LOONGGG time to come to that decision but I have accepted it and will deal with it when the time comes. 

Some people lose more than others but getting your protein in, taking vitamins, etc. may lessen your chances of losing hair or you may not lose as much. 

My hair loss started at about 3 months and continued thru the 7th month.  At its worst, I started using a hair product to add body to my hair, and I needed to blow it dry to make it look fuller.  I would have purchased a wig, but found I didn't need to.  At 9 months, I noticed a crop of short hair sticking straight up all over my head.  I was so happy to see them, that I didn't even mind that they made me look scruffy!  By one year post-op, my hair was back to near normal - maybe not completely recovered, but good enough.

So it was awful to go thru, but its temporary.  The weight loss is still here!

best wishes,

Carol

I always had long hair. Really long. Really full. At about 9 months post op I finally gave up and had it cut off in a short chin length bob because it was so thin and dry and sad.

3 years later it had grown back in and was full and healthy, if not quite as long. That took a few more years ; -)

Like so many things with this surgery, this too shall pass. When it happens, be calm. Cut it short so it looks better. You will be in the middle of a famine. As far as your body will be concerned you will be starving to death. Producing hair is a very low priority in that case.

When you system stabilizes and you get your levels corrected, and your body quits thinking it is living on the Serengeti, in a drought year, You hair and skin will recover.

It is a process. You have to take the long view. Hair loss for a few years? Healthy body for the rest of your life? Go long, you won't regret it!

My hair was thin and fine to begin with, so I thought it would be wig time for me when I started losing hair at about 6 months post-op. Maybe it's because I didn't have much hair to begin with, but the hair loss lasted only 2 months, was minimal, and was barely noticeable. I'm waiting to see if it wlll grow back, but I'm okay with it even if I don't get any regrowth.

psychoticparrot

I'm african american and I didn't loose any hair. Matter of fact, mine grew soooo much and I wasn't the best vitamin taker. But, I also come from a long line of women which thick long hair.  I don't know if it has anything to do with ethnicity or what. I guess every person varies.

Hey Beth!

I know it has taken you a while to grow your hair out and it looks great!  I'm proud of you for taking this step in your life and if you do loose some hair along the way, oh well. You always looked cute with it short too!  Love ya!

from what I've heard/read, a few people lose a lot and a few people don't lose any.  Most people are somewhere in the middle - they lose some, but it's not really noticeable to anyone but them.  I'm six months out.  The last couple of weeks I think I've noticed more than the usual number of strands in my comb, but then again, maybe I'm thinking I see more because i'm hyper-aware of it.   At any rate, it's not much....if in fact it's picked up at all.  Hopefully it'll stay that way!

I lost over half my hair - I was 51 years old and newly menopausal, which I'm sure didn't help.  It was the worst between months 5-8.  It took me a good 2 years to get it all back.  

Most people will lose a decent amount, some will lose none and a very few will lose more than I did.  So I count myself lucky.