Hi All - haven't been on here in awhile, guess cause my loss hasn't been that great and was ashamed to be on here....but I have been losing hair like crazy - anyone elese? I take citracal petites, Centrum chewables, and a pill for hair, skin and nails. Can anyone let me know I am not alone, and what you did to get your hair back?

thanks

Yep, mine was thinning too...I could tell as more was coming out when I brushed it. Doc said that can be sign of not getting enough Protein - which I don't think that I was.....so I have been more careful about watching that and it has helped a lot. (course you can loose hair from other things too - like stress!)

Hang in there - you aren't alone! If it is from lack of protein - walmart and GNC have flavorless protein that you can add to anything to up the protein content......without any flavor change.

I was also told that your hair will fall out from lack of protein. My doc recommends 65 grams a day to prevent that. So far I haven't had any problems.

My hair coming out also. Like after I had my girls. I am not sure if it is protein or other vitamins and minerals. I never at 65 grams of protein before the surgery so I am not sure. If anyone has a supplement they recommend or hair treatment let me know.

Jessica

My hair started thinning so I went to the dermatologist. He reassured me I wouldn't go bald. He said it was probably from the rapid weightloss. That or my thyroid, which checked out fine. I am noticing a bit less hair in the shower drain so hopefully it's tapering off.

I started on liquid vitamins that are more easily absorbed by the body and making sure I take a protein supplement. Between general healing from exercise and working out to build muscle your body needs a lot of protein.

I have really thin hair to begin with so I was nervous having the band put in, but did some research and not only am I sure to get enough Protein, but I take Biotin, zinc and Omega 3 & 6 Fish oil.

Here is a great site to help track your protein intake: FitDay Free Calorie Counter and Diet Journal:

Anesthesia and surgery interrupt your hair growth cycle. Mostly, it's just a matter of time. But you can increase your odds by making sure you get enough protein, taking a good-quality bariatric multivitamin, biotin and zinc and using a hair-loss shampoo/conditioner such as Nioxin.

My mom was loosing her hair in the beginning. I came on here and read that it could be because of a few things...

We're pretty sure it was because she was taking TOO many Vitamins... I forget the exact one... and once she stopped taking them... it grew back!

my hair is already thin, and after surgery it just got worse but now that I am 2 months out I can see that new hair is coming in. My dr said its because of the surgery and weight loss. I cant afford to lose to much more.

My hair started falling out like crazy around 4 months post op.....it's already thin and now I'm 6 months post op and it's still falling out. I always get enough protein (at least 70-80 grams a day) and always take my vitamins so it can't be that. I did lose 70 lbs.....so it must be the rapid weight loss. I started to eat more and have been maintaining my weight to see if it will start growing back (can see my scalp).....I still have 20 lbs to go, but trying to slow it down for my hair's sake.....

mine is definetly coming out now. handfulls in the shower and when I brush. I asked the nutritionist and she said it wasn't Protein related, kind of a shock to the body to lose so much weight (she said it typically happens between 50-90 pounds lost and will stop after about 6 weeks and yes, will grow back)

she said you can use the nioxin shampoo you can get from the hairdresser and take Biotin supplements, but they're not a sure way to stop or prevent it

If it is a continuing concern, do consult your PCP and perhaps a Dermatologist.

MOST of the time it's Telogen Effluvium (see below), but it can also be signs of other problems. My thinning hair is not solely weight loss related, as it started well before I was banded, but is also due to post-menopausal changes according to my dermatologist. He has me on Rogaine to prevent further loss.

Telogen Effluvium:

What Is It?

At any given time, about 85% to 90% of the hairs on the average person's head are actively growing (the anagen phase) and the others are resting (the telogen phase).

Typically, a hair is in the anagen phase for two to four years, then enters the telogen phase, rests for about two to four months, and then falls out and is replaced by a new, growing hair. The average person naturally loses about 100 hairs a day.

In a person with telogen effluvium, some body change or shock pushes more hairs into the telogen phase. Typically in this condition, about 30% of the hairs stop growing and go into the resting phase before falling out.

So if you have telogen effluvium, you may lose an average of 300 hairs a day instead of 100. Telogen effluvium can be triggered by a number of different events, including:

* Surgery

* Major physical trauma

* Major psychological stress

* High fever or severe infection

* Extreme weight loss

* Extreme change in diet

* Abrupt hormonal changes, including those associated with childbirth and menopause

* Iron deficiency

* Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism

* A new medication

Because hairs that enter the telogen phase rest in place for two to four months before falling out, you may not notice any hair loss until two to four months after the event that caused the problem. Telogen effluvium rarely lasts longer than six months, although some cases last longer.

Although losing a great number of hairs within a short time can be frightening, the condition is usually temporary. Each hair that is pushed prematurely into the telogen phase is replaced by a new, growing hair, so there is no danger of complete baldness.

Because hair on the scalp grows slowly, your hair may feel or look thinner than usual for a time, but fullness will return as the new hairs grow in.

Symptoms

If you have telogen effluvium, you'll notice more hair than usual accumulating on your pillowcase, on the shower or bathroom floor and in your hairbrush. Your scalp hair may feel or look less dense than usual. Often, though, the hair loss is subtle, and other people may not notice anything different about your hair.

Diagnosis

Most cases of telogen effluvium can be diagnosed based on medical history and an examination of the scalp and hair. If the hair loss has been occurring for several months, there may be visible thinning Patches, but often the hair loss is not dramatic enough for a doctor to notice. If you have large bald patches, you probably don't have telogen effluvium. If the doctor gently tugs on some hairs on your scalp and four or more hairs come out, you probably have telogen effluvium. Also, the hairs will look like hairs in the telogen phase - they will have a white bulb at the end that was in the scalp, and will not have a gel-like covering around that end of the hair.

You may be asked to gather all hairs that fall out of your head over a 24-hour period, and count them to see if the hair loss is truly excessive. Losing fewer than 100 hairs in a day is considered normal. You also may be asked to gather and count lost hairs every one or two weeks to see when the shedding starts to decline.

In some rare cases, if there is reason to doubt the diagnosis, a biopsy of the scalp may be done. In this procedure, a small piece of the scalp that includes several hair follicles is removed and examined under a microscope. Your doctor also may do blood tests to check for conditions such as thyroid abnormalities that may be contributing to hair loss.

Expected Duration

Typically, hair loss begins two to four months after the event that triggered the problem, and lasts approximately six months. New hairs begin growing immediately after the hair falls out, but significant growth may not be noticed for several months.

Prevention

Nothing can be done to prevent most of the types of physical shock that can start telogen effluvium. Some cases may be caused by a poor diet, and these might be prevented by eating a balanced diet that provides enough Protein, iron and other nutrients.

Treatment

No treatment for active telogen effluvium has been proven effective. Some causes of the disorder can be corrected. For example, if you have a poor diet, consult a dietitian to help you balance it. If the hair loss began after you started a new medication, talk to your doctor to see if the medication should be discontinued. Many times, however, the cause is a specific event in the past, and you can expect that the hair will grow back. In cases where hair growth has not returned to a satisfactory level, your doctor may prescribe minoxidil (Rogaine), a lotion applied to the scalp that stimulates hair growth in some people.

When To Call A Professional

See your doctor if you experience excessive hair loss or obvious thinning patches on your scalp.

Prognosis

The outlook for telogen effluvium is very good. Most cases run their course within six to nine months, and the hair usually grows back. In some cases, the disorder may last longer. In other cases, not all hairs grow back.

Additional Info

American Academy of Dermatology

American Academy of Dermatology

Last updated July 14, 2005

My hair started coming out about 1-2 weeks post op by the handfulls when brushing. I read online where an increase of bitoin would help with hair lost so I started taking 3000 mcg of bitoin a day for the last 5 weeks and have really noticed a difference. My hair has gotten thicker and hardly comes out when I brush now.

I noticed it also. My sister (who is a physician) actually really noticed a couple of weeks ago. She told me to bump up my daily vitiam (I take Flinstones) to 2 a day and to start taking folic acid. I always am at my 70 grams of protein a day. So we will see if that works.

I am 6 months postop, always had really thick hair but did come out while brushing or messing with it. Now its falling out in Handfulls! I take my daily vit, calicum, fish oil and 3000mg of biotin. My daily calories are around 1500 and easily get 100g of protein a day. I am frustred with it and worried its going to keep getting worse...