Hi,

I'm 5 months post-band with 2 fills and losing hair. After reading the threads on hair loss (very helpful) and some pretty extensive information searching on the Web (mostly rubbish) I cam across the following statement from a medical site: "high Protein can lead to hair loss. Stop taking Protein shakes and bars."

This seems to make sense to me. When I lost a lot of weight before (130lbs in 18 months) I didn't experience hair loss. 5 months post band (50lbs loss) and noticablely thinning hair. For me the only differences are: rate of loss and taking protein shakes.

I'd welcome others thoughts on this.

I've done high Protein and not lost hair, I am losing hair now.

Any body trauma can cause hair loss, including surgery. My mother experienced hair loss about 6 mos out from her hysterectomy, and my father had it about 4 mos out from a knee operation. Personally, I attribute it more to the trauma itself, than diet. In my case anyway, because I know what I'm eating.

It is called traumatic alopecia. Hair loss can occur anytime the body is stressed for any reason. Surgery, illness, strong medications, weight loss, under nurished, etc.

That's the first time I've ever heard that theory. Where'd you find it?

Before I got banded, I asked my doc and one of the nurses if any of their bandsters had experienced hair loss and they both looked at me like I was crazy. Hopefully I won't be their first case of it!

When I had a hysterectomy, I started losing hair about 5 months later. It stopped and I have hair again.

I lost some hair about 5 months after my band surgery, too.

Believe it or not, I am not bald. I have the same amount of hair I've always had.

There is always "too much of a good thing." Try to keep your protein, carbs, and fats in a healthy balance.

My personal belief given the timing of hair loss post surgery for most people being between 3-5 months, and the growth cycle of hair, is that most post banding hair loss is from the anesthesia - and will normalize again afterwards.

Here are some sites that reference anesthesia as a cause of hair loss. Of course nutrition is always a factor, and having a good balanced diet is always the best way to go.

Diagnose Me

Hair Loss In Women

Bernstien Medical

I'm in the body-stress camp myself. I've lost weight before and not lost hair, but every single time I've had some major medical thing (childbirth, banding surgery, endoscopy involving anaesthesia) I've had temporary hair thinning a couple of months afterward. It always comes back in full.