I had my WLS on April 19th of this year. I have lost a little hair, but nothing I can't hide. (Thank goodness, because I have thin hair to begin with) I was wondering if there is a safe time or a time that we can stop worrying about hair loss. As I approach my 6 mos. date, I'm getting hopeful that the worst of the hair loss my be over. Is this premature? Thanks for your imput.

That's a great question I will be looking to see the answer!

I started losing hair right around June 1st (almost 3 months out for me) and by September 1st (6 months out), I was only losing a few strands more than normal a day. I lost between 1/3 and 1/2 of my volume of hair. I have a little over an inch of new growth coming in. Thanks goodness. So, I would say 3 solid months of losing (June and July were the HEAVY loss months and August was steady but less loss). This seems about right according to what I have read, that the hair has 3 month cycles. So, it took 3 months for it to start falling out, then 3 months of losing, then it stopped. Everybody is different though. Some never lose and some lose longer. Sounds like you may be over the hump, though!

For new sleevers who may be wondering, nothing will keep it from falling out, but there are things that will help the new growth. Some use Biotin with luck in the re-growth department. I did buy Nioxin shampoo/conditioner/thickener, but like I said, those do not prevent loss, they just make the hair appear/feel thicker. They claim to also help prepare the scalp for new growth. Not sure about that, but the thickener spray really made my hair look fuller.

I was sleeved May 9th, 5 months and a week ago today!! I have been losing like 10-15 hairs a morning when I wash and comb since week 3. This is not AS BAD as I figured it would be and think mine was not too bad since I have been a slow loser since surgery.

Today, when I washed and combed....OMG!! I bet there were 100 hairs in my hand. It was crazy sick! I almost fainted! My w/l has slowed to a crawl and I would think the hair loss should too.

Kelly

I was sleeved May 9th, 5 months and a week ago today!! I have been losing like 10-15 hairs a morning when I wash and comb since week 3. This is not AS BAD as I figured it would be and think mine was not too bad since I have been a slow loser since surgery.

Today, when I washed and combed....OMG!! I bet there were 100 hairs in my hand. It was crazy sick! I almost fainted! My w/l has slowed to a crawl and I would think the hair loss should too.

Kelly

I can relate! Once my hair really started falling out... I have to go outside on the porch and brush my hair... it is crazy stupid how much hair I was losing daily, litterally by the handfulls... it just made it easier to go outside each morning and brush my hair and I dont have to look at it all over my bathroom sink & rugs!

OMG, now I'm freaking out. My hair is so thin to begin with!

Thanks for your input. I am a very slow loser, and I am wondering if that has an effect on hair loss. I never lost lots of pounds in a short time, and maybe that's why my hair hasn't been affected that much. At least it would be one positive about slow losing.

Thanks for your input. I am a very slow loser, and I am wondering if that has an effect on hair loss. I never lost lots of pounds in a short time, and maybe that's why my hair hasn't been affected that much. At least it would be one positive about slow losing.

Slow loss does sometimes determine if you lose your hair or not. My mother had the lapband 3 years ago and lost only 75 pounds in those 3 years. She didn't lose her hair at all. She just got sleeved at the end of September, so I told her to get ready, cause she won't lose weigt that slowly this time around. I do think you may lose hair at a slower rate if you are losing weight slower, though.

My hair started falling out a little bit in month 4, a bit more month 5 and now in month 6 it feels like its coming out by the handful. Alot of it in the front. I posted pics and you can see how thin it is there. I exptect it to slow down soon which is good, but hair hair everywhere! I'll tell you, every night at dinner time I look at my plate and there is a damn hair sitting in my food! The saving grace is that its almost over with.

Mine went overnight from not losing at all to losing by the fistful. UGH. It started at about 3.5 months out and really slowed down over the past month or two, so hopefully it's going to end soon. I have had it happen before, though, after I'd been quite ill from food poisoning, so I wasn't as traumatised this time around. It does grow back!

I dont want anyone to freak out after reading my post but I wish I had been a little more prepared with hair loss as I was...

My program warned me that some people lost hair and if it got bad they could recommend a supplement. But I thought...oh i have really thick hair no big deal. I honestly lost a lot of hair on a regular basis (kind of like shedding in the summer kind of thing)

I started losing my hair at around 3 months but at about 4 months I was losing it in handfulls. I was scared to run my hands through my hair during my shower and I was scared to brush my hair. I am still losing my hair at 10 months out but not as much. Now the biggest problem is that the texture of my hair has changed completly. I started taking a supplement about 1 month ago but havent noticed any change. I have found some shampoos make it worse. I am hoping that I will begin to see regrowth soon. I have always had naturally thick curly curly hair. I am not sure what I have now.

This has been the most frustrating part of my entire journey. But I would rather wear a wig for the rest of my LONG HEALTHY life than die a young lady with beautiful hair.

I just started losing some hair a couple of wks ago. So at the 4 month mark. For a wk, it was pretty bad and scary! I did notice my multivitamin didn't have Iron in it, so I switched and am now taking 2 multivitamins w/iron a day. One in the morning and one at bedtime. I don't take these with my Calcium. I had read that Iron deficiency can cause hair loss. I took Biotin way before surgery, and while it helped on some regrowth from previous hair thinning I had, it did not prevent the hair loss I am now experiencing. It might help with the regrowth phase later. I also take Zinc now. I also just added Evening Primrose Oil, Flaxseed Oil, and CLA to see if they help with either the hair or weight loss situation and some other benefits, but it's too early to say whether they are doing anything. I am on quite the kick of vitamins and supplements right now lol. But I realize that it's most likely due to the surgery, anesthesia, and weight loss. The hair loss has slowed down a little but I am guessing I am not finished losing. It will grow back, but that doesn't stop me from obsessing about trying to prevent it or at least slowing it down hahaha.

Now the biggest problem is that the texture of my hair has changed completly. I started taking a supplement about 1 month ago but havent noticed any change. I have found some shampoos make it worse. I am hoping that I will begin to see regrowth soon. I have always had naturally thick curly curly hair. I am not sure what I have now.

The texture of my hair has totally changed too. Some of it must be down to being thinner and not having as much weight to pull itself down, but it's gone quite curly and much drier or more rough somehow (?) than it used to be. It's weird!

But I'm glad the loss has finally slowed way down.

I doubt it's down to lack of Protein (I've had plenty all along), lack of Iron (my levels have gone up since surgery and they were already fine), or anything else like that. I think it's just overall starving/very low calorie diets + surgery/anaesthesia. But that's just my unscientific opinion.

Hi everyone, all of your post are so great....

I am at month 3 post op....and I am so scared ! Since month 2 i noticed I was losing my hair, but mont 3 is just so bad. I get Handfulls when i combs, or just touch.

Please tell me i will not loose all my hair.

I am takin Biotin, Omega 13, Protein shake a day, my Dr tells me it will stop soon, i am just scared.

How much zinc a day, or Iron is everyone taking ??.

Really scared...

Ale

I don't take extra Iron, just what is in the multivitamin, which I take 2 a day now. I think theres 18g in each multi. I have seen others mention taking extra, but I don't because I don't have periods. I have had a hysterectomy. The multi has 15g of Zinc in it, so I am getting 30 in my 2 multis per day.

Good luck!

When I hit the 50 lbs mark my hair started falling out in handfuls. I started taking Biotin 5000 mg a day - was already taking Iron and multi. I have been getting in enough Protein. I have been on the biotin about one month now. Hair is still falling out in handfulls but maybe 15 strands and not 50........yes I freaked out too. I have alot of hair so no bald spots yet. Tub has hair all over when I get out.....gross....bathroom floor too....booo....but seems to be getting a little better (just have to stick in there is what everyone keeps saying)

BTW ...biotin is making hair grow like CRAZY on my legs and underarms....just thought I would mention in case anyone has any facial hair problems might not want to go there?