Hello All..I am almost four months out since my banding and have done great so far, besides some occasional pain in my side...I had really thick long beautiful hair...I mean really thick...now it is really thin and way more then normal hair is falling out...like handfuls...Im taking the protein shakes and vitamins and was also suggestion Biotin Shampoo or vitamins...is there any other suggestions and will it grow back again? Im really depressed about this..I mean it went from 2 full ponytails to equaling one small pontail...Your suggestions are appreciated!

Same here, Denise. Remember... 8-11 months.

I'm slowly coming to terms with it. I can cover up crappy hair, I can't cover up fat.

My doctor suggested calcium and that appears to be working for me. I take a women's one a day and a viactiv calcium chew daily and that helped my hair loss dramatically

Update...

I finally took the plunge and cut off my hair. It used to be down to my butt and now it is shoulder length. This is something I should have done a long time ago. I don't know if it is the weight that has been removed or what the deal is but hair loss has pretty well come to a dead stop.

I'm also not having to put it up daily to prevent shedding like a Lhasa Apso. I don't have anything pulling on my hair by putting it up anymore.

One very interesting note, I asked the lady who did my hair if there was any regrowth. She said yes, it looks like it is about 3 months old but nothing new. I knew I had stray short hairs but I thought it was hair that had broken off. Wrong, it was from three months ago when I stopped losing weight for a month. I was going to get a breast lift and implants early (before weight loss was done) and my plastic surgeon said to stop losing weight for one month. So I did, I maintained vs. losing or gaining. THAT is the month my hair started growing back in. When I started losing weight again it started falling out and regrowth stopped.

So, last week I changed the color from brown and stray grays to a softer brown with light caramel highlights, it's shoulder length and quite frankly, it's a much better look for my age. It's much nicer looking, softer, and far more feminine. All in all I wish I would have done it months ago.

I wish I could see it Bubble. I am sure it must look really nice.

About the calcium- I have been taking that all along and the chews with the calcium, and it doesn't seem to make any difference.

Time will tell if this is going to stop. Maybe like Bubble said, it will stop at

11 months or a year. It doesn't seem to be slowing down at all though, at 8 months.

I cut mine too and it is SO much healthier and although I've always been a shedder, I cant really attribute it to weight loss, as such, my bathroom and house has been covered with my hair for as long as I have lived here!

But I went for a shorter inverted bob, and I love it, it looks much better on a 40 year old than my longer hair did, my hair is no longer as good as it was back in my 20's, its frizzier, dry and more difficult to look after. Shorter is much easier, and its just as feminine, I still have plenty of length at the front and it looks much thicker and shinier.

I was not worried about the hair not growing back when it fell out, but when its mid back length, that's five years of growth there! It might grow back in but somewhere along the line you're going to have to lose all your precious length.

Having to go from long hair to very short is as unpalatable to me as going completely bald, short hair does not suit me!

But for me, the alarming shedding, whilst I never thinned - lasted only 2 months. I've been a 1500 calories plus a day loser, made up my deficit by exercise and have lost slowly, although I'm at goal now. I wonder if that is what made the difference between just a bit of shedding and scary loss?

I cut mine too and it is SO much healthier and although I've always been a shedder, I cant really attribute it to weight loss, as such, my bathroom and house has been covered with my hair for as long as I have lived here!

But I went for a shorter inverted bob, and I love it, it looks much better on a 40 year old than my longer hair did, my hair is no longer as good as it was back in my 20's, its frizzier, dry and more difficult to look after. Shorter is much easier, and its just as feminine, I still have plenty of length at the front and it looks much thicker and shinier.

I was not worried about the hair not growing back when it fell out, but when its mid back length, that's five years of growth there! It might grow back in but somewhere along the line you're going to have to lose all your precious length.

Having to go from long hair to very short is as unpalatable to me as going completely bald, short hair does not suit me!

But for me, the alarming shedding, whilst I never thinned - lasted only 2 months. I've been a 1500 calories plus a day loser, made up my deficit by exercise and have lost slowly, although I'm at goal now. I wonder if that is what made the difference between just a bit of shedding and scary loss?

I havent heard that here before. Maybe if the calorie intake wasnt reduced so alarmingly, that is what made the difference. Humm, something to think about. From what I had read to this point, sounded like it didnt matter what shampoo you used,what supplement you took, what you ate..you were gonna experience hairloss. Thanks for the info. To me I always thought it couldnt be the anesthesia because I have had numerous surgeries and havent had a problem with any hairloss. I already shed now,and if I blow dry my naturally curly hair, at my bangs you can see my scalp. Maybe I will just shave my head!

I am very concerned about hair loss. My hair is straight so I need to get a perm. Now I'm concerned about getting a perm. I have experienced hair loss on the Atkins diet and I've also been told that you are prone to lossing hair with thyroid problems. I used to have very thick hair but now it's about half of what it used to be. Has anyone had a perm while lossing weight with the band? Were there any problems or increased hair loss or damage?

Charlene

I am 2 years out with little hairloss. My doctor told me to take Biotin. The last 6 months I have added Evening Primrose Oil and my hair is actually thicker than it has ever been. So.....worth a try. My sister, which has a child that has had major chemo/radiation told me about the Evening Primrose Oil. I decided to try it and am sooo glad.

Hello All..I am almost four months out since my banding and have done great so far, besides some occasional pain in my side...I had really thick long beautiful hair...I mean really thick...now it is really thin and way more then normal hair is falling out...like handfuls...Im taking the Protein shakes and Vitamins and was also suggestion Biotin Shampoo or vitamins...is there any other suggestions and will it grow back again? Im really depressed about this..I mean it went from 2 full ponytails to equaling one small pontail...Your suggestions are appreciated!

My DF had gastric bypass in Feb 07, she has experienced the same hair loss. Her surgeon said that at 4 - 5 mos. out it is common and not to be alarmed as it does grow back.

I wish I could give you all a big hug though.. it must be tramatic.. I am not there yet only had my surg July 07.. I'll probably loose mine right before Xmas..LOL

Good morning ladies,

I was told to take biotin. I haven't had any hair loss (surgery 8/10/07), but it won't hurt to take it and I also take vitamins. I haven't had a fill (9/10) yet, so I'm not counting calories until then. Also you might check how much protein you are getting.

I take Biotin, and count to make sure I am getting enough Protein.

Where do you get this evening primrose oil????

Good morning ladies,

I was told to take Biotin. I haven't had any hair loss (surgery 8/10/07), but it won't hurt to take it and I also take Vitamins. I haven't had a fill (9/10) yet, so I'm not counting calories until then. Also you might check how much Protein you are getting.

Hello gloharmar, and welcome!

I take it you haven't read through the entire thread, and that's okay. But personally not only do I get in 80-100+ grams of protein a day, I take a MVI, Calcium, and biotin supps. Didn't help. Well, maybe it has, maybe I'd be bald without them...

It's a good suggestion, though.

I am very concerned about hair loss. My hair is straight so I need to get a perm. Now I'm concerned about getting a perm. I have experienced hair loss on the Atkins diet and I've also been told that you are prone to lossing hair with thyroid problems. I used to have very thick hair but now it's about half of what it used to be. Has anyone had a perm while lossing weight with the band? Were there any problems or increased hair loss or damage?

Charlene

We have all been researching this a great deal. Trying Biotin, Calcium, Vitamins, Minerals, added Protein, various shampoos, conditioners, and an assortment of other tips and tricks. It appears that if it will fall out it will fall out and it will grow back when it grows back.

I can't really advise on the perm. I was going to do it just so it looked like I had more hair but honestly, cutting it shorter makes it look so much better so in my case it wasn't necessary.

Denise, try GNC for the primrose.

We were told to get 1000-1200 calories daily. At our support group they said to do 1000 one day, 1100 the next (fooling the body), but not to make it the same amt everyday. I think that every doctor might be a little different, but from I've been reading the advice is real close to being the same.