Hi everyone! Although I have read posts regarding VSG and hair loss, until now I haven't experienced this at all. In the last 3 weeks though, my hair is falling out BIG time! Luckily I have thick hair so it's not so noticable. But if it keeps up at this rate, I'll be looking for a wig. What am I missing in my diet? I take multi vitamins, B-complex, B-12, and magnesium supplements. I try to eat a fairly healthy diet, as we all do. Any suggestions?:001_cool:

It's very normal. People have reported upping their Protein, taking Biotin or extra Vitamins, taking special hair and nails vitamins,using nioxin shampoo etc.

It just seems to be something that comes with WLS. You can try anything that you think may help, but mostly everyone has said it stops when it wants to. It usually is the worst at month 4 and gradually decreases. Let me know if you find anything that helps.

Soon2be - I know what you mean - I made it to 5 months before my started falling out - I swear I should be bald - like you, thank goodness I have thick hair, but even my hairdresser commented on it ... I am taking Hair, Skin & Nail vitamins that have a lot of biotin in them, in addition to multi-vitamins, calcium and B12- thus far nothing has helped ... I guess we just keep doing what we're doing and hope that eventually the loss stops!

Okay, I don't know if this works or not, but I will pass it on....

I was talking about hair loss with my hair stylist. She said that people lose their hair when dieting because they don't get enough fat and Protein in their diet. She said back in the 80's everyone was eating low fat (less than 20g) and hair was falling out all over the place. In the 90's and Atkins was the fad, no one lost their hair (for those that did Atkins, you know why - think greasy bacon cheeseburger with no bun). She suggested that since I was on a high protein, low fat diet to add some Fish Oil to add essential fatty acids to my diet. Apparently your body needs both protein and fat to grow hair and evidently it won't use the fat on my rear to make hair. I bought some Fish Oil capsules and have started taking them. Worth a shot.

A hairdresser over here suggested Evening Primrose Oil. Not tried it yet but I have noticed hair loss, nothing too serious, when I wash it.

Hi there.. I'm only 2 weeks out from surgery but I was told fish oil is huge for this..and making sure you get enough protien.. Fish oil/ EFA pills/ capsules or Bariatric Advantage has some in a chew that is supposed to be like eating a starburst candy and not expensive...

Let me know if you try them.. and how it works out!

Thanks all for the advise. I will try fish oil first since I have some. I am supposed to be taking them anyway for my cholesterol. (they DO help lower your cholesterol-that much I know for sure!). Hopefully that will work before I have to go buy a wig!

You know, I have been wanting to try fish oil because everyone says it's so good for you.

Does it make you burp up a weird taste? That's the only reason I have never taken them. I can't imagine burping up fish oil. It would have to be gross

Walmart has a generic minoxidil liquid hair treatment and it WORKS.... I litterally had a bald spot right in front from my hair loss- I use it twices a day and also take hair skin and nails Vitamins.

I highly recomend it.

( I use to be a hair dresser too)

all the ingredients are the same as the name brand... so don't waste your money on the name brand. I noticed a big difference and the hair trap in my bathtub isn't full everyday like it use to be or the floor covered in hair after I dry it.

And for the newbies... I wish I had started it sooner... but I didn't think it would happen to me... and I tooo have THICK hair,... I'd be bald if I didn't have so much hair!

I used it. I started using it right before surgery and up until my hair starting falling out and realizing it didn't make much difference, other than making my hair really dry. I used the shampoo, the conditioner and the scalp treatment.

Ugh. I have lost a lot of hair also and have zero advice. At least I know it happens to everyone.

I take celedrine capsules for my knees. They are oil. I can not stand the fish oil caps. Yucky burps. you can get celedrine from Costco.

Carolyn -- cute avatar!

I had evening primrose oil, so I added that to my regimine of Vitamins - don't know if it will help, but figure it can't hurt.

I asked my surgeon when my hair would stop falling out. He told me when I stop losing weight, my hair loss will stop. My weight loss is slowing down, but I'm still losing hair. So, when I see all that hair on my hands after I condition, I just tell myself, "I'm still losing weight, I'm still losing weight." It's what I can do to make myself feel a little better about it. At first it was devastating to me, but everyone said they didn't notice a difference anyway. I've also asked others who had the gastric bypass, and they say the hair loss will stop eventually. I take biotin anyway, don't see a huge difference. But I guess it can't hurt.

Netherfield - well I guess that is one (positive) way to look at the hair loss -- as I wash my hands and watch all that hair go down the drain - I'll recite that mantra! I'm taking biotin and Evening Primrose Oil. I'm like you, figure it can't hurt! Hope I don't go bald before I get to goal!:w00t:

When I lost weight rapidly once before (just dieting, high protein, low carb) my hair thinned too: no new hair grew at all. I started taking some hair loss preventing supplements at the advice of my hairdresser and it did restart the growth. I suppose it's the body's way of prioritising: if there's a famine (which basically a 600-800 calorie diet is) then you take care of the important parts, which doesn't include hair...