Hey guys!

I'm considering the VSG, and I'm very concerned about hair loss. I have very thin hair already, and if it gets any thinner I will need a wig. I've seen that many people report hair loss as a side-effect of VSG, but I'm wondering what your experiences are with it? How much hair did you lose? When did you start losing hair? Was the hair loss long-lasting, or has the hair grown back?

Thanks for your time!!

-Lizzy

hair loss is a side-effect of all WLS, not just VSG.

Mine started very early, probably due to hormones, and then around 7-8 months out, it slowed way down and now, at 12 months out, it's a trickle and some days I don't lose any in the shower.

I have very thin hair and no one but me noticed my hair loss. Well, my hair dresser finally noticed at my last haircut, but no one else. Thank goodness!

Hairloss can and does happen with all of the surgeries not just VSG. I just recently noticed that I ma losing more hair than I normally do. I'm almost months post op, and it's coming out pretty severely, but it'll grow back.

I am 5 weeks out and have lost some hair. I actually lost more hair before surgery due to stressing myself out about surgery! Seriously.

At least for me right now you can't tell. Only I know because I can see a little more in the brush and in the shower drain.

Not to discount your fear......hair loss was/is the least of my worries. I so wanted to be healthy and skinny I could have gone bald for awhile and it would have been fine. I have seen very few posts on boards about severe hair loss.

I agree with Tiffy - hair loss is a side effect of all surgeries, generally it is a side effect of the anesthesia and I believe it can last up to 8 months post surgery. I don't think it is so severe that others notice it (other than our hair dressers).

With band surgery, mine started out at 4 months and didn't quit until I was 1 yr. post op. I am hoping this time it will stop before that. Mine is coming out quite badly right now.

I'd rather lose hair than no weight. I am 5 months out, a few weeks ago my hair started to thin, and it has stopped now. Its not even noticable.

Hair loss is from the anesthesia. It generally starts at around 3-4 months out, and starts growing back around 8 months out if you're getting the proper nutrition your body requires. It's a temporary problem.

From the anesthesia? Then why doesn't every single person who has surgery have hair loss. I think it's more related to the body producing ketones. But hey I don't really know...but it's just hard for me to believe the anesthesia thing....anyone else know?? :sleep0:

From the anesthesia? Then why doesn't every single person who has surgery have hair loss. I think it's more related to the body producing ketones. But hey I don't really know...but it's just hard for me to believe the anesthesia thing....anyone else know?? :sleep0:

Here's a great article that explains hair loss with any surgery is possible. It may not be as bad with other surgeries, but it is a possibility.

Telogen Effluvium: eMedicine Dermatology

Major surgery is cited as one of the main causes for hair loss to occur post-op.

Telogen effluvium is a form of nonscarring alopecia characterized by diffuse hair shedding, often with an acute onset. A chronic form with a more insidious onset and a longer duration also exists.1,2 Telogen effluvium is a reactive process caused by a metabolic or hormonal stress or by medications. Generally, recovery is spontaneous and occurs within 6 months.

Pathophysiology

Telogen effluvium can affect hair on all parts of the body, but, generally, only loss of scalp hair is symptomatic.

Understanding the pathophysiology of telogen effluvium requires knowledge of the hair growth cycle. All hair has a growth phase, termed anagen, and a resting phase, telogen. On the scalp, anagen lasts approximately 3 years, while telogen lasts roughly 3 months, although there can be wide variation in these times between individuals. During telogen, the resting hair remains in the follicle until it is pushed out by growth of a new anagen hair.

In most people, 5-15% of the hair on the scalp is in telogen at any given time. Telogen effluvium is triggered when a physiologic stress or hormonal change causes a large number of hairs to enter telogen at one time. Shedding does not occur until the new anagen hairs begin to grow. The emerging hairs help to force the resting hairs out of the follicle. Evidence suggests that the mechanism of shedding of a telogen hair is an active process that may occur independent of the emerging anagen hair. The interval between the inciting event in telogen effluvium and the onset of shedding corresponds to the length of the telogen phase, between 1 and 6 months (average 3 mo).

Headington has described 5 functional subtypes of telogen effluvium, based on which portion of the hair cycle is abnormally shortened or lengthened.3 These subtypes represent variations on the principles discussed above. It is rarely possible to distinguish these subtypes clinically.

Frequency

International

This condition is quite common, but exact prevalence is not recorded. A large percentage of adults have experienced an episode of telogen effluvium at some point in their lives.

Mortality/Morbidity

Mortality has not been reported. Morbidity is limited to mild cosmetic changes.

Race

No racial predilection is recognized.

Sex

Acute telogen effluvium can occur in either sex if the proper inciting conditions occur. Because hormonal changes in the postpartum period are a common cause of telogen effluvium, women may have a greater tendency to experience this condition. In addition, women tend to find the hair shedding more troublesome than men do; thus, more women seek medical attention for the condition. Chronic telogen effluvium has been reported mainly in women.

Age

Telogen effluvium can occur at any age. It is not uncommon for infants in the first months of life to experience an episode of telogen effluvium.

Clinical

History

The symptom of both acute and chronic telogen effluvium is increased hair shedding. Patients usually only complain that their hair is falling out at an increased rate. Occasionally, they note that the remaining hair feels less dense. In both forms of telogen effluvium, hair is lost diffusely from the entire scalp. Complete alopecia is not seen.

• Acute telogen effluvium is defined as hair shedding lasting less than 6 months. Patients with acute telogen effluvium usually complain of relatively sudden onset of hair loss. Careful questioning usually reveals a metabolic or physiologic stress 1-6 months before the start of the hair shedding. Physiologic stresses that can induce telogen effluvium include febrile illness, major injury, change in diet, pregnancy and delivery, and starting a new medication. Immunizations also have been reported to cause acute hair shedding. Papulosquamous diseases of the scalp, such as psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis, can produce telogen effluvium.
  
• Chronic telogen effluvium is hair shedding lasting longer than 6 months. The onset is often insidious, and it can be difficult to identify an inciting event. Because of the duration of the hair shedding, patients are more likely to complain of decreased scalp hair density, or they may note that their hair appears thin and lifeless.
  

Physical

• The physical examination is the same in both acute and chronic telogen effluvium. Physical findings are sparse. Usually, the physician does not appreciate a decrease in hair density. However, if the patient's hair has been falling out for several months, the hair may appear thin when compared with old photographs.
  
• Depending on the duration of hair loss, close examination of the scalp may reveal a higher than expected number of short new hairs growing. Because hair grows at a nearly constant rate of approximately 1 cm per month, the duration of the hair shedding can be estimated by measuring the length of the short hairs.
  
• In active telogen effluvium, the gentle hair pull test will yield at least 4 hairs with each pull. If the patient's active shedding has ceased, the hair pull will be normal. Forced extraction of 10-20 hairs will yield a large percentage of telogen hairs. If greater than 25% of extracted hairs are in telogen, the diagnosis of telogen effluvium is confirmed.
  
• There is one caveat to reliance on strict physical findings or numerical criteria in the diagnosis of telogen effluvium. Each patient's scalp hair has an individual characteristic growth cycle. There are patients who have a very long anagen phase and a small proportion of hair in telogen at any given time. These patients may experience an episode of telogen effluvium but have completely normal physical findings. History alone must guide the physician to the correct diagnosis in these cases.
  
• There should be no areas of total alopecia in a patient with telogen effluvium. Scarring is not present. There also should be no sign of an inflammatory scalp dermatitis. Usually, there are no complaints of body hair loss.
  

Causes

Physiologic stress is the cause of telogen effluvium. These inciting factors can be organized into several categories, noted below. Evidence from mouse studies indicates that psychological stress can induce catagen, mainly by effects on neurotransmitters and hormones.4 In humans, however, the role these effects play in hair loss has not yet been determined. While substance P has been extensively studies in human hair follicles in vitro, in vivo studies have not been performed.5 In HIV disease, apoptosis may be related to HIV-1 viral Protein R.6

• Acute illness such as febrile illness, severe infection, major surgery and severe trauma
  
• Chronic illness such as malignancy, particularly lymphoproliferative malignancy; and any chronic debilitating illness, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, end-stage renal disease, or liver disease
  
• Hormonal changes such as pregnancy and delivery (can affect both mother and child), hypothyroidism, and discontinuation of estrogen-containing medications7
  

Telogen effluvium secondary to hypothyroidism.

[ CLOSE WINDOW ]

Telogen effluvium secondary to hypothyroidism.

• Changes in diet like crash dieting, anorexia, low protein intake, and chronic Iron deficiency8,9,10
  
• Heavy metals such as selenium, arsenic, and thallium
  
• Medications, of which the most frequency cited are beta-blockers, anticoagulants, retinoids (including excess Vitamin A), propylthiouracil (induces hypothyroidism), carbamazepine, and immunizations11,12,13
  
• Allergic contact dermatitis of the scalp14
  

Does anyone know if, for men, minoxidil will slow this process?

I know that this is not androgenic... just wondering if using some Rogaine post-surgery will help me offset or delay the problem.

With previous low fat diets I have been able to prevent hair loss with fish oil supplements and good vitamins--I would think Vitamin D would be important part of this also. By far the best fish oil supplement I have had is Barlean's Omega Swirl it tastes just fine and I never have fishy burps like with capsules. When I was taking it regularly I had awesome hair and nail growth.

I am referring mainly to hair loss related to low calorie/low fat diets --if there is some other cause in your case then nutrition may not help.

My current plan for my upcoming sleeve is to supplement with the following

• chewable Multivitamin
  
• Fish oil
  
• Vitamin D (my levels were low)
  
• Getting the required Protein in
  

We will see over time how this works out :crying:

Hey guys!

I'm considering the VSG, and I'm very concerned about hair loss. I have very thin hair already, and if it gets any thinner I will need a wig. I've seen that many people report hair loss as a side-effect of VSG, but I'm wondering what your experiences are with it? How much hair did you lose? When did you start losing hair? Was the hair loss long-lasting, or has the hair grown back?

Thanks for your time!!

-Lizzy

Well let me tell you honey, I'm 3+ months out and loose ALOT of hair, I'm talking about handfuls, not just a few strands here and there, I brush my hair in the morning and BIG handfuls come out. . .I'm not trying to scare you but it's lots in my case. . . in the evening I brush my hair and here comes handfuls again. . .in the shower, out comes some, not as much as brushing. But I'm learning to live with it. . . I have very long hair, I'm 6'0' tall and my hair length is to my butt. . . I have one small bald spot but that is from my berette (I hope). . . but i am thankful everyday for having gotten this sleeve and losing weight, so a few little side effects is ok, from what i hear, it does grow back. . . yeah I'll look like a darn chia pet! :crying:

I am almost at one year post op. I have new hair growing in all over the place.

All you can do is make sure you get plenty of Protein and you are not low on Iron. Being anemic can also cause hair loss.

It came out the most between 4-9 months.

hair loss.....what an experience this was.

I was sleeved September 28th, 2009 by Dr. Aceves (wonderful man). To date I've lost 87 pounds and counting.....BUT the hairloss would have to be the biggest problem.

My hair started thinning in late November 2009 and by March 2010 I had lost about 1/2 my hair.....I have very fine hair but lots of it. I finally got it to stop by using NIOXIN shampoo, scalp conditioner and scalp therapy. It is now growing in and I have all these new little hairs all over my head. But at least it's growing again.

If you are worried about hair loss, BEFORE surgery, start using NIOXIN and continue using. This will lessen the loss.

Happy Sleeving from

Donna in Coarsegold

I'm just over three months out and haven't had any hair loss so far.