My beautiful hair--finally broke down and cried today. :(

[Sleevedreamz 107]

I KNEW Hair loss was coming. I did my research, I read every post there was along with tons of research beforehand and I had prepared myself. I knew it could be little or lots, but of course, like anyone I hoped for a little. I'm young and healthy (minus the weight issue) so I hoped for the best. Had my surgery 9/4 and just as was predicted my hair loss started the first week of December. I have long blonde (fine) hair that has been my staple forever and it's falling out BADLY! I am so sick I do not know what to do. I'm getting in my Vitamins, Protein, Biotin (which I started months before) and I'm at a loss now as to where to go. It's getting so thin I can't hide it much longer and I'm starting to become self conscious. It's only been a month and everyone says it can last for up to 6...I will be a 30 year old bald person if I keep losing hair at this rate. When it first started I just stayed calm bc I knew it was coming and I just kept telling myself it would be ok. But, today when several large handfuls came out I just stood in the shower and cried. I wasn't prepared to go bald. I want to lose weight and be healthy, but NOTHING about my hair falling out feels even the tiniest bit healthy. I know I've read everything there is to read at this point, but this feels like a moment in my journey that I need support and encouragement even if I already know what everyone will say. Am I going to go bald and is this going to start turning around? My NUT told me to cut my hair. Please don't tell me that. I have been growing my beautiful hair out for 4 years. I'm not ready to hear that. So sad and discouraged right now.

[lisa2job 130]

I really really feel you !!! so my hair really just started to fall out allot also , I had surgery on 9-6-12.... I am planning to buy a wig, perhaps a few !! I love my hair that has always been one of my best features, and I always get complimented on it and its grown so long now .. I am way too vain to go around bald so wig ville here I come !!! most actresses wear weaves / hair pieces, allot of them also wear wigs and I know its done a lot in the south so hey I can do it too !!! Be positive and everything will be alright, just think if your married you can have allot of fun with different color wigs !! lol

hope it slows down and I am crossing my fingers that mine doesnt get any worse .... it sucks but a price I will pay for being skinny

[clk 3,519]

Almost every woman here experiences hair loss to some extent. My formerly thick and luxurious long hair took a pretty hard hit for a while there. With time, it does get better. I only had a two to three month window where I was really losing my hair. After that, it was simply keeping to a diet high in Protein (I aim for 90+ grams a day, using a shake to supplement) and simply waiting for regrowth.

The only time I really lose hair now is when I slack on my diet. For instance, I was completely unable to eat a reasonable diet a few months ago and was really missing the mark on my Protein intake. While it was nothing like in the beginning, I really did notice an increase in my shedding. Once I corrected the issue it stopped.

You can take all the supplements in the world but nobody can give you a definite answer why this happens. For some reason, between three and nine months post op, most women experience this. I can say that the drastic weight loss is a huge shock to our bodies. I don't know that this can always be tied to protein intake, either, as many women that experience this are careful to eat a protein-heavy diet.

Some women choose to cut their hair. I cut mine about five inches, still leaving it several inches past my shoulders. I did this not because I had to, but because I was getting very annoyed with my hair coating everything. Well, guess what? I cut my hair and all that happened was I got SHORTER hair all over everything! The Hair loss resolved just a few months later.

I used Nioxin and feel that it at least slowed the loss. I never reached a point where I experienced baldness or bald Patches. My hair was definitely thinner - a ponytail was about half the thickness as before. I took Biotin religiously for months but it did nothing for me except make me nauseous. Some women swear by it, though. When I eventually transitioned back to my usual Aveda products, I did not notice an increase in hair loss, so using the Nioxin temporarily did not have a negative impact on regrowth.

Some point between one and two years out I noticed my hair looked shiny and healthy again. Incorporate good fats into your diet as this will help your hair and skin, and eat plenty of protein. That's really all you can do. It will come back. As to whether or not to cut it, that's entirely up to you. My hair is back to it's former length and nobody would ever guess I had lost so much of it two years ago.

Good luck. I did argue to my husband that as a big girl, I was always able to count on shiny hair, healthy nails, gorgeous skin and of course, large breasts to make me feel good about myself. It was quite a shock to me to see my skin get so dry, my nails turn brittle, my hair start falling out and my poor ladies start to shrink into a shadow of their former selves. But it all comes back, it really does. Hang in there and do what you can but try not to let it make you crazy.

~Cheri

[hm734 228]

I have less than half the hair I had pre surgery. I had VERY thick hair, where i could only wrap my pony tail twice. now i can wrap 5. I didn't cut it, but what is there is really starting to look full and drab. Hair loss has slowed this week so I am hoping the end is near. I was sleeved 7/18 with loss starting at 3 1/2 months. I can't imagine what it would look like if it was thin pre-surgery...but at least I am not bald!

[altagirl 127]

I had surgery on 9/10 and I thought I had avoided the dreaded hair loss. About 2 weeks ago my hair really started falling out. Today I am going to just get my hair shaped because it looks so bad. I actually lost all of my hair about 10 years ago from acute stress so I know that I will be ok if it all falls out - it does grow back! When my hair fell out before it happened in a matter of 10 days and I was completely bald.

I can tell that it is causing alot of distress for you - but do know that it will get better. Maybe it is time to go wig shopping?

[thinoneday 445]

Well here comes something you probably don't want to hear, but I'm out 3 + years and, like you, had a beautiful mane of long, thick hair. I had surgery on Dec 29, 2009 and in March 2010, there it went, falling out in large amounts. My hair is so thin now (still falling out 3 + years later) and I've tried everything. So i cut my hair to my shoulders in hopes that would slow down the droppage, but nope. I wear my leftover strands in a small picky sized braid. All I can say is this, we sacrificed something for something else. We can't have it all. Some of us looked beautiful in our faces when we were fatter, we had the WLS, lost weight and now look not so beautiful. It's a definate sacrifice we have to endure. I'm sorry

[Gene1970 179]

^{Both I and my wife had Hair loss with our weight loss. When it will stop?, well that's up to your body. Will is stop?, absolutely in it's own time. Here's an option, probably one that you don't want to hear, but an option none the less. I would take your NUT's advice and get it cut short so that it's less noticible. You have your entire life ahead of you to grow nice long blonde hair again. Here's my suggested twist on that though... since you have nice long hair, why not have it cut and donate it to an orginization like Locks of Love? There are plenty of children out there that are going through far worse that what you are going through right now. The emotional toll of them not having hair along with everything else going on with their body is a lot for them to deal with. At least that way you can feel good about someone being able to use your hair instead of it washing down the drain every morning when you shower. It's a new year and a whole new life for you post surgery, you might as turn this temporary change in your life into something wonderful for someone else. Just my 2 cents. BTW, I am in no way affiliated with this organization, it just came to my mind as something nice to do.}

^{http://www.locksoflove.org/}

[SaraLaughs 23]

I have been worried about the same thing, as my hair has also always been thick and pretty and frequently complimented. But I decided this: I know it's coming so I'm donating the majority to Locks of Love before it gets too bad. Then once it gets thin, I'm going to rock wigs in every color of the rainbow, and learn how to tie beautiful scarves over my hair until it decides to grow back. Beauty is mostly attitude. Pretend you feel gorgeous, and eventually you'll start to feel gorgeous. When you get a compliment on ANYTHING, act arrogant (in a humorous way) and say, "Thanks, I am pretty awesome, aren't I?"

Hang in there sweets. You are still you, no matter what the outer shell looks like.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

My hair is my pride and joy so I too was horrified to watch it come out by the fistful. A year post op and I get more complimwnts then ever so remember it is temporary. I feel your sadness though, I really do.

[june13sleever 223]

My hair still hasn't grown back. I am thinking about cutting it short. It has been one year and 7 months. I lost about 60%. My pony tail doesn't exist. I am still hopeful and now that I am pregnant and eating all the time maybe it will come back. My BF said don't cut it, but I just feel it might be time.

[sleeve 4 me 910]

I have always had thin hair (but a lot of it). I started losing my hair at 2 months out and it got really bad ...through this ordeal I discovered clip on extensions and I absolutely love them. Now that my hair has grown out in length (not in fullness) I still wear them, I even got longer 18 inch ones for Christmas. They are so FUN!

It's soooo worth it!!!!

[Tekara3927 265]

I had surgery 9/7 and am in the same boat. It's horrifying. I cry when I brush my hair. I'm getting all my Protein, I'm taking Biotin, I don't know what to do. I've never seen so much hair come off someone in my life. I did cut my hair to my shoulders, about 7 inches off..... Still noticeable. I have to wear my hair up 24/7. I'm so upset. But I'm thrilled to be 80 lbs lighter. And to be honest I've never seen a WLS patient go bald, so I think although its sad, there are ways to make it look okay. Best wishes, I know for me it's easier to stay positive, but I do have my moments! Good luck! Chin up!

Sent from my iPad using VST

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

Ladies, I know I know I know how hard this is.

I just want to remind you that after losing nearly 140 pounds I have people telling me I look "great" "hot" "skinny" "sexy" and not a one of them has wondered what the hell happened to a good portion of my hair. I get MORE compliments on my hair and I think that is just because i look better overall.

Just keep your eye on the prize. There are alot of things to be sad about during this journey, but I think the payoff is oh so worth it.

[circa 333]

I lost probably 2/3 of my hair. I was fortunate to her extremely thick hair. I felt like I was bald though. I was in near years with my stylist. She reassured me and even took pictures to show me that it wasn't noticeable by anyone but me. My loss lasted about 3-4 months and now, even though in still losing hair (always have) I'm getting it back faster than its falling out.

Rest assured - it's normal to have the Hair loss. Anesthesia alone can have this effect.

It will get better.

Sent from my iPhone using VST

[caramelbaby10181 30]

Im hoping to have my surgery at the end of Feb or early March, but Ive stopped getting relaxers on my hair. Im hoping by going natural and keeping the chemicals to very minimal, it will keep my already thin hair from falling totally out. But I am prepared to wear weaves and wigs if I have to. I find it kind of fun to change up my look on a daily basis.