Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

This is happening and I'm crying!!!



Recommended Posts

It's really hormonal and there's little we can do to control it. I ended up getting 5 inches chopped off because I couldn't handle the hair everywhere. It's still falling out pretty good but at least I look sassy!

Size 10 - WOOT!!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

On 2/20/2017 at 9:07 AM, Crafty-in-Carolina said:

I really hate to sound vain, but wow, this is difficult to deal with. If I were a man, I would just shave the head and grow a goatee and be sexy as hell!!! But that doesn't work for the ladies does it? Just as I start feeling good about myself again, this. My hair has always been very fine and since the huge shedding that happened after the birth of my son 10 years ago, I have not had much to lose. For now, I'm disguising a huge part and mucho scalp with keratin fibers and root touch-up, but I may have to resort to some sort of a topper or something. I really worry that it won't grow back. My mother's hair thinned out so much as she aged and I'm guessing I've inherited that from her.

Still wouldn't change course now even if I could. I did this for my health and I'm feeling really good, but damn!!!! This is what I lost when I washed my hair. Yes, I gathered it up from the drain and took a picture. :o I do not wash my hair every day, more like twice per week. Thinking of switching to a nioxin Shampoo? ?? Do you think it would help?

And just for the record, I get 80 - 100 grams of Protein daily, plenty of Water (70 oz min), I take my multi-Vitamin, plus a Biotin supplement. I know it's not the end of the world, but it sure makes it more difficult and time consuming to get out the door. Someone please tell me it will grow back!!! Also, any ideas for disguising this thinned out mess until it does?

If you experienced Hair loss, when did you notice thickness return? I'm 4 months out, so I'm guessing this is just the beginning. I will be bald very soon.

20170219_231322.jpg

Hello! First of all, there is nothing "vain" in being distressed when you start losing hair at such a fast rate, so give yourself a break there!

I was sleeved in August 2013. I have very long, very thick hair and my surgeon warned me that it was going to thin and fall out, and sure enough, it did. I thought I was prepared for it, but when it happens, is upsetting and even though you're thrilled to see your constantly shrinking self in the mirror, that thin hair is tough to deal with.

I have posted this before, but I will again here: I chose to get hair extensions. They are not inexpensive by any means, but it was an expense that I felt was worth it for me. After two years of a very healthy diet and treating my hair carefully (extensions can be damaging if you aren't very careful), I am happy to say that my hair has made an incredible comeback. It is thick, and shiny and healthy again and I no longer feel I need to augment it with extensions. While hair extensions are very expensive and not something everyone is willing to endure, there are a number of rather inexpensive and very attractive options out there like clip-in extensions and what are called halos. These are things you can easily put in yourself and just wear when you go out and they just give you a bit more hair. You can buy them online or at any beauty store like Ulta or Sephora.

One of the things to which I attribute to my hair's comeback is definitely the addition and regular use of additional Vitamins. Everyone seems to know about Biotin, but Vitamin C , which is an essential building block for the production of collagen, is the unsung hero of Hair growth. I take a C supplement above what is in a Multi-Vitamin. I also take pretty large doses of Vitamin E. I take 15,000 mg of C and 1200 IU of a natural form of E everyday over three doses. These are large amounts, I don't necessarily recommend that for someone else without consulting your doctor.

Good luck with everything! I'm sure you will find a way that works for you to make peace with your temporary "bad hair day"!

Edited by Oak Park Lorena
put wrong year for my surgery!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you for the kind words Oak Park Lorena. I am not opposed to extensions, clip-in or otherwise. I'm curious though, did you get the kind that are sewn into your natural hair? I'm curious what kind of maintenance is required? How frequently must you visit a salon for upkeep? I would love to know more if you feel like sharing. I'm also curious about cost. I know they aren't inexpensive and that prices can vary hugely depending on location and skill of the provider, but just curious on ballpark numbers. And how do you find someone who really knows what they are doing? I feel word of mouth referrals are always the best bet, but I'm a bit of a hermit, so I have a tiny social network. Thanks for the info and congratulations on your amazing weight loss.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had two different types of extensions, keratin bond extensions and what are called tape-in extensions. The keratin bond extensions are where they take a small bundle of hairs and attach it using a bond made of keratin to one strand of your hair right at the scalp. It takes a couple of hours to get them installed. I have long hair so I opted for longer extensions. It was about $1200 to have them put in and they lasted 5-6 months with no need to visit the stylist until the next set. Generally, you cannot re-use the keratin extensions, so you have to have a new set put in. I also tried the tape-in extensions. They are 1/2 wide bits of hair that they attach to your hair with special tape. It takes only about 20 minutes to get them installed. Those can stay in about 6-8 weeks and then they have to be removed and replaced. You can remove and replace the same set of extensions three times. The cost to put them in was $600 with going in at 6 week intervals and paying about $100 for her to remove them and put them back in. The cost of the two types of extensions are really the same because you'll need a full new set of tape-ins probably 3 times a year plus the upkeep.

I never considered a weave. That is where they create a braid and then sew in extensions to the braid. I just don't have the right hair for it and I already had enough of my own hair that it wasn't necessary. I've also heard and read that the scalp under the braid can get very itchy! I also did not like the idea of the micro beads because you can feel them against your scalp and you cannot get your hair colored when you have them in (you can color your hair with the keratin and tape ins).

Both types of extensions looked completely natural on me and no one ever knew I had them. Even hairdressers were surprised to see that wasn't all me! The tape ins I would say are a bit easier to wear and you can't feel them when you touch your hair (or someone else does!), the bonds, however, you can feel as little bumps if you touched that area. With any kind of extension, you cannot run your fingers through your hair from scalp to end. The tape in extensions are definitely "lighter" feeling than the keratin bonds and generally speaking, they probably do the least amount of damage to your natural hair.

As far as taking care of them, you have to be gentle with brushing and have to avoid putting any conditioners or oils or slippery things on the bonds or tape that might loosen them. You have to be very careful when you're drying your hair or styling not to heat the bonds or tug too hard. You also have to keep out tangles and sleep in a braid or pony tail to avoid tangles.

Finding a good stylist to put them in and to cut your hair so they blend in is key. Improperly placed extensions can pull on your hair and potentially cause Hair loss. Also, it's not just knowing how to put them in, but take them out--whatever kind of extension is used, they must be gently removed so as to avoid pulling out or damaging your natural hair. I found my person on Yelp and she's terrific. I live in the Chicago area so there were many choices, I'm not sure about where you live, but extensions are become more and more popular, so more people are doing it. There are also many, many different companies making extensions and you'll want to make sure that you pick someone who uses a good product. You can also google the makers of the extensions and then see if they have a way to locate a stylist who uses their products near you. I used Great Lengths.

Beware though, extensions look so great, it can be hard to give them up!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hmmm. This makes my $200 beautiful easy wash and wear wig look like a ,great option!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had two different types of extensions, keratin bond extensions and what are called tape-in extensions. The keratin bond extensions are where they take a small bundle of hairs and attach it using a bond made of keratin to one strand of your hair right at the scalp. It takes a couple of hours to get them installed. I have long hair so I opted for longer extensions. It was about $1200 to have them put in and they lasted 5-6 months with no need to visit the stylist until the next set. Generally, you cannot re-use the keratin extensions, so you have to have a new set put in. I also tried the tape-in extensions. They are 1/2 wide bits of hair that they attach to your hair with special tape. It takes only about 20 minutes to get them installed. Those can stay in about 6-8 weeks and then they have to be removed and replaced. You can remove and replace the same set of extensions three times. The cost to put them in was $600 with going in at 6 week intervals and paying about $100 for her to remove them and put them back in. The cost of the two types of extensions are really the same because you'll need a full new set of tape-ins probably 3 times a year plus the upkeep.
I never considered a weave. That is where they create a braid and then sew in extensions to the braid. I just don't have the right hair for it and I already had enough of my own hair that it wasn't necessary. I've also heard and read that the scalp under the braid can get very itchy! I also did not like the idea of the micro beads because you can feel them against your scalp and you cannot get your hair colored when you have them in (you can color your hair with the keratin and tape ins).
Both types of extensions looked completely natural on me and no one ever knew I had them. Even hairdressers were surprised to see that wasn't all me! The tape ins I would say are a bit easier to wear and you can't feel them when you touch your hair (or someone else does!), the bonds, however, you can feel as little bumps if you touched that area. With any kind of extension, you cannot run your fingers through your hair from scalp to end. The tape in extensions are definitely "lighter" feeling than the keratin bonds and generally speaking, they probably do the least amount of damage to your natural hair.
As far as taking care of them, you have to be gentle with brushing and have to avoid putting any conditioners or oils or slippery things on the bonds or tape that might loosen them. You have to be very careful when you're drying your hair or styling not to heat the bonds or tug too hard. You also have to keep out tangles and sleep in a braid or pony tail to avoid tangles.
Finding a good stylist to put them in and to cut your hair so they blend in is key. Improperly placed extensions can pull on your hair and potentially cause Hair loss. Also, it's not just knowing how to put them in, but take them out--whatever kind of extension is used, they must be gently removed so as to avoid pulling out or damaging your natural hair. I found my person on Yelp and she's terrific. I live in the Chicago area so there were many choices, I'm not sure about where you live, but extensions are become more and more popular, so more people are doing it. There are also many, many different companies making extensions and you'll want to make sure that you pick someone who uses a good product. You can also google the makers of the extensions and then see if they have a way to locate a stylist who uses their products near you. I used Great Lengths.
Beware though, extensions look so great, it can be hard to give them up!




Thank you so much for this wealth of info. You make the tape ins sound rather appealing, but I never knew how such things worked. Did you find it difficult to style your hair with the extensions since you have to be so gentle? I've always used a hairdryer + round brush = done. I may explore this further. I hate to have to visit a salon frequently, but I don't think I would like to feel the little bumps you describe. I can't imagine wearing a full wig in these NC summers, hot and humid... I imagine being hot, itchy and uncomfortable.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Oh, no you can style your hair just the same way you always do, you just shouldn't pull really hard on the hair the way some stylist do when they do blow outs. I actually did some wig shopping, but they are very hot and like you, I could not imagine walking around with that on my head in the middle of a Chicago summer! And, I'm single, so I also imagined how awkward it could be to say, "let me slip into something more comfortable, oh, and take off my hair, too!":51_scream::51_scream:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Oh, no you can style your hair just the same way you always do, you just shouldn't pull really hard on the hair the way some stylist do when they do blow outs. I actually did some wig shopping, but they are very hot and like you, I could not imagine walking around with that on my head in the middle of a Chicago summer! And, I'm single, so I also imagined how awkward it could be to say, "let me slip into something more comfortable, oh, and take off my hair, too!":51_scream::51_scream:

OMG, this cracks me up. I have to admit it did cross my mind that I don't want to take off my hair to climb into bed with hubby, lol. Again, I really appreciate your time answering all of my questions. I need to find someone who does this. Here in Charlotte, I'm sure there are lots of stylists who can do it, I just need to find out who they are.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If you start to notice thin spots, try Toppik hair fibers. You shake it on and they stick to your hair and scalp and fill in the blanks.


Yes! This stuff really works well on thin spots. Lately the only thing that keeps me holding my head up is a combo of root touch-up spray and the shake on keratin fibers. It also gives my fine, limp hair a little texture which is nice. I'm just thinking it would be nice to have a more long-term solution.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

SMH. The money I wasted on this junk.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×