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Hair Loss-Why Doesn't Anyone Talk About It?



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I have been reading about VSG and trying to decide if I should do this surgery. I think that this is the surgery for me, but then someone mentions their Hair loss. No one seems to really talk about it which makes me nervous. Does it happen to everyone? How much hair loss? Can it be avoided? When it grows back, is it different? I have very thick hair, will it be the same when it comes back? I know this shouldn't be high on my list of issues, but it is. I know that this is a big surgery and it will be good for me to lose the extra weight I have on me, but I can't seem to get past the hair loss. Someone please set me straight. Thanks.

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Do a search for "Hair Loss". It's discussed daily here.

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I had the surgery on December 27th. I have had Hair loss but I take Vitamins and also have Hair growth as I have baby hairs that come along the face. So it does grow back. I don't have any bald places but my hair is a little thinner. I hope this helps.

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It is talked about quite a bit. This is where I learned about it! From what I've learned it is mainly due to the shock of major surgery and the rapid weight loss. If you keep up on your Protein and take a Multivitamin & Biotin before surgery, you might be able to avoid losing a lot, but everyone is different. Most people say they start losing at around 4-6 months out from surgery. Unfortunately, from thing I've read, it can't be stopped completely, but it grows back just fine. Some people say it grows back better than their previous hair. Many people say they get a shorter cut during the time it's coming out.

I just had surgery 2 weeks ago, so I haven't lost any yet. I'm hoping it doesn't get too bad since I already have a short cut. However, to me it's worth it to lose hair if I'm losing weight & getting healthy.

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Do a search for "hair Loss". It's discussed daily here.

I will check it out now. Thanks for the response.

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What you MAY suffer (or if you are lucky may not) is actually called Diffuse hair loss,,or loose anagen syndrome(growing stage) gets a week conection between the hairs cuticle and the inner root sheath..hence it doesnt grow so hits the telagen stage (resting ) for a longer period of time where the hair follicle shrinks and the papilla seperates from the bulb which ends up in hair loss.. the theory is to go back 3 months previous to find out what caused it.. it can be one of many things including

1. high fever 7.loss off blood

2. crash dieting 8.poor diet

3. oral contraceptives 9. low Vitamin B12

4. operations 10. low copper levels

5. food (lack of nutrients) 11. low folic acid

6. extreme stress.. 12. low Iron

well as you can see fron the list above we will go thru pretty much all of this and the effects hit between 3 +6mths after our surgery,,the good news is that DIFFUSE Hair loss does get replaced.. just up your Vitamins,, take some silica and Vitamin C, up your clacium levels, get a good quality proffessional range of Shampoo and conditioner (i recomend Nioxin as it is specially formulated for thinning hair to help it regrow) and a really good head massage to stimulate the scalp..can take up to another 6months for regrowth but it will regrow. hope this helps x

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From what I have read, it happens with all wls procedures. It does concern me because I have very fine straight hair. But, the benefits definitely outweigh the Hair loss, and it does to seem to come back.

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I too have very fine, but dense hair. My Hair loss started about a month ago. I've noticed more coming out, but to be honest, my clog hasn't choked up yet. Take your vitamans, biotan, and protien. It will come back.

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Ohhhh we talk about this one, I promise you ;-) I think we've all worried about it and I think we've all had different experiences with the amount we've lost. I have lost little to no hair and I'm 7 months out....I'm hoping that means I'm in the clear! I had made up my mind that even if I lost a lot it would be worth it to regain my health!

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My Hair loss started at about 2 weeks post-surgery. At first it was a bit frightening, but other folks don't notice it (except the lady that cuts my hair) - she said not to worry about it, she has seen this a lot with WLS folks. It DOES grow back. I had worked really, really hard at letting my hair grow out, and now it's the longest it's been since I was a kid. But for me, thinner hair is on the low end of concerns compared to my over all health. I'm 4 months post-op and the hair is still coming out, just not as much now. And again, no one seems to notice it except me. My hair is thin and still looks fine. The good news? It's starting to grow back in, and I've been considering cutting it off short again, for the time being.

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LOL... we DEFINITELY talk about it!!! I started to lose my hair around 4 months out. I am not 7 months out and it is definitely starting to grow back in. I have "baby" hair growing in. Even though my hair thinned out quite a bit, it wasn't catastrophic. I don't think any of else are walking around with bald heads. I am also pretty sure that it pretty much effects everyone in some way. But again, it really isn't that bad. Definitely easy to live with and deal with and it seems like it grows back!

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Like his2my2our4 says oh yes this is a definate topic which is talked about alot. I had my surgery 3 years ago, 3 months into it, my hair started falling out and hasn't stopped. it's slowed down, but have never stopped. it's very very thin, not bald thin, but my braid which used to be very thick is now the size of my pinkie. . . i dare not cut my hair, i'd have nothing left. . . but this is just one of the sacrifices i chose to be thin. . .

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I had a little Hair loss and my hair is really thick. It wasn't like chunks of hair was falling out in the shower or anything but it is something you recognize. It seems to get a little thin but now my hair seems just fine. I take Vitamins all the time and drink Protein Drinks to this day. I think that has helped me.

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This is a hot topic here search around. I experienced it at around 3 months and it's not anything I worry about. I rather look hot with a wig or weave than be fat and unhealthy with a full head of lovely hair.< /p>

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Thanks to all who took the time to answer my Hair loss question. I guess I thought that when your hair stars to fall out, it was in big clumps. Happy to read that is not the case.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
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