I've been following this forum for a while but this is my first post. I was banded in 2006 and everything was great for a while. I lost about 125 lbs and kept it off for almost 6 years. Then I started having days where my band was too tight and I couldn't eat anything, and if I did eat, I couldn't keep it down. Other days I could eat with almost no restriction. I also started having terrible reflux, to the point I would sleep propped up and still wake up with acid coming out of my nose. Went to the doctor and found out my band had slipped. Took the Fluid out to let the band readjust. In that time I had several life changing events happen and I ate my feelings. I ended up gaining 40ish lbs back. Started having regular fills but still wasn't getting any restriction, gained another 45 lbs. I had another barium swallow done recently and found out my band has slipped again. So now I've gained back 85 of the 125 lbs lost and my band has slipped for the second time.

I've now stared the process of band to bypass revision at the beginning of next year! I'm very excited and can't wait to start having a normal relationship with food again. I've done a ton of research and have been able to find answers to all of the questions I've had...except one. What is hair loss like after bypass as compared to after lap band? I have thin, fine hair and this is a concern for me. Not enough to make me shy away, but still enough that I want to be prepared for it. I didn't lose any hair with the lap band, or if I did it wasn't enough for me to notice. I have considered starting supplements for growth. I know they won't stop the process of hair loss if it's going to happen, but I'm hoping that if I can get some new sprouts growing maybe the loss won't be as noticeable.

So, the short version of the question is, how did hair loss after revision surgery compare to hair loss from the initial procedure?

I can share my experience with hair loss through RNY but not lapband. I've made several posts on this as it's not something that's really talked about in depth. People say, I'm losing "alot" of hair. Define "alot"!

I knew going into RNY surgery I might lose some hair. I obsessed over it! I took hair supplements months prior to surgery and thought if I took all my Vitamins, Biotin and proten, I'd be fine. Uh uh.

This article won't make you happy, but explains why it happens:

https://www.drdkim.net/ask-the-dietitian/understanding-hair-loss-after-bariatric-surgery/

I have very thick, dark coarse hair. I began shedding at 3 months and it's just starting to slow down at 6 months. If I put my hair in a ponytail, it's half as thick as it used to be. I don't have any bald spots but I can see area's where it's thinned.

GOOD NEWS!!!! I've been using this spray on color that's made for touching up your roots in between hair coloring. I spray it in the thin area's and don't see my scalp. There's also products you can spray on that have fibers that attach to your hair making the thin area thicker. I even looked into wigs, wiglets and extensions if it got really bad-it hasn't.

BEST NEWS!!!! It grows back.

I'd do it again in a heartbeat if needed-best decision I've every made.

Iam 7 months band to bypass revision. Never lost any hair with my band but started losing hair 4 months bypass still losing some but slowed down hair much thinner not used any sprays or color ups

I've been following this forum for a while but this is my first post. I was banded in 2006 and everything was great for a while. I lost about 125 lbs and kept it off for almost 6 years. Then I started having days where my band was too tight and I couldn't eat anything, and if I did eat, I couldn't keep it down. Other days I could eat with almost no restriction. I also started having terrible reflux, to the point I would sleep propped up and still wake up with acid coming out of my nose. Went to the doctor and found out my band had slipped. Took the Fluid out to let the band readjust. In that time I had several life changing events happen and I ate my feelings. I ended up gaining 40ish lbs back. Started having regular fills but still wasn't getting any restriction, gained another 45 lbs. I had another barium swallow done recently and found out my band has slipped again. So now I've gained back 85 of the 125 lbs lost and my band has slipped for the second time.

I've now stared the process of band to bypass revision at the beginning of next year! I'm very excited and can't wait to start having a normal relationship with food again. I've done a ton of research and have been able to find answers to all of the questions I've had...except one. What is hair loss like after bypass as compared to after lap band? I have thin, fine hair and this is a concern for me. Not enough to make me shy away, but still enough that I want to be prepared for it. I didn't lose any hair with the lap band, or if I did it wasn't enough for me to notice. I have considered starting supplements for growth. I know they won't stop the process of hair loss if it's going to happen, but I'm hoping that if I can get some new sprouts growing maybe the loss won't be as noticeable.

So, the short version of the question is, how did hair loss after revision surgery compare to hair loss from the initial procedure?

I am a band-to-bypass revision patient, too! I have been using rogaine for a couple of years due to thin, fine hair and I was really worried about hair loss after surgery. I actually had a 2-part surgery because my band was removed a year ago last December and my bypass wasn't until April 2015. I had expected hair loss right around the time of my revision because it was 16 weeks post-op, which is when I lose my hair, but I didn't have much. After revision, however, at exactly 16 weeks I lost a lot of hair. I had been taking Biotin and using rogaine up to that point, and I do believe that it helped my hair come back much faster than it has in the past. Not only that, but it's now wavy! That was an unexpected perk! Honestly, that short period where I had "bad hair" was completely worth it, though. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Congratulations on taking back control of your health. You won't be disappointed.

Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences and for the encouragement! Revision is something I plan to do, regardless of the outcome for my hair. My physical and emotional wellbeing are much more important than my locks. I just want to be as mentally prepared as I can be going in and wanted to hear from those that have been there already.

I have experienced hair thinning and loss .I just went to my stylist who gave me a haircut .Its devastating...I had my surgery Dec 28,2015 and I am taking biotin and collagen...which hasn't helped.

Got a hair cut and a lecture from my stylist....I had to cut it....:-/