I know there are a million posts about hair loss. But I'm putting this here because I just want to whine about it.

I started shedding heavily at 3 months post op. The last two weeks have been so much worse. Literal handfuls in my brush, in my shower drain, when I run my hand through my hair, in my dryer screen, loose hairs all over my clothes (so professional looking!).

I'm getting my protein in. I've taken biotin since before surgery. I added L-lysine and zinc two weeks ago. I take a good multivitamin. I rarely blow dry or flat iron my hair. I feel like I'm doing everything right.

I don't think it is noticeable yet, in most circumstances. But I can feel it is significantly thinner. It is also thin at my hairline and temples. I was at a industry golf tournament last week, and I pulled my hair up into a pony tail. The thinning at my temples and hairline was completely obvious. I wanted to cry. I hope that my visor mostly covered it up.

If this continues, I'm going to have to do something other than whine. I've googled weaves for Caucasian hair. It seems possible, but it's not common. Seems like there is a serious upcharge vs. salons that specialize in AA hair (not that that is inexpensive!).

The only thing I can see that might be contributing diet wise, is my calories have been very low since surgery. I am almost always under 500 cals/day, except sometimes when I'm traveling and eating every meal out. Some days I'm well under 400 cals. I really don't want to up these cals, because I have a lot of restriction and mostly don't have physical hunger. I don't want to eat just to eat. That's a big part of why I needed WLS. I also want to get to goal as quickly as possible. I have a small window at the end of the year to have plastics. If I'm not at goal by that time then my work and travel schedule will make it very difficult to find the time in 2019 for surgery and recovery.

Ugh, thanks for listening

Crap, I was hoping your loss had slowed. I was just coming by to say that the hair loss has begun in earnest since I last posted - fair amounts of visible shedding at all times of day. Not noticing it yet in the mirror, except that my hair is flatter overall, but it's only really been a week. At the rate it's going this might get alarming, and I REALLY do not want it to grow back in all crunchy like after my surgery three years ago. I've been wearing white shirts to work and I initially thought I was just overreacting to normal shedding, but this morning I looked at my white pillowcase and YIKES.

I do not have a tiny head, so maybe I'll have to give the headbands a miss too. I am working in a more casual office for a few months so can likely get away with headgear creativity... Crap! This sucks! If this keeps going, the likelihood is that I'll chop it all off and go with a layered messy bob until regrowth starts. Not my favorite hairstyle, but acceptable.

Anyhow, I guess this disproves my theory that prolonged low calorie intake for the pre-op/post-op is the main culprit in hair loss.

@sideeye Sorry to hear that, at least we have good company to commiserate with. I'm a little glad to know it's not the low calories. I just came out of a stall, so really don't want to up my cals. Have you done short hair before. I love the sound of a "messy layered bob", but I'm afraid it will be unflattering, and then I'm stuck with it.

For some good news. my mom confirmed that my hair loss isn't obvious at all when my hair is down and freshly washed.

I have done short hair before. It freaks you out for the first couple of days and then you get used to it and the shop cut washes out a bit and you figure out how to style it and you’re good. Right now my hair is mid-back and that’s around the time I start worrying I look like a sister-wife, so I’m going to have to do something regardless, either shoulder length or all the way up to my chin.

Glad to hear it’s not noticeable when washed and loose!

You are not alone. I’m almost 2 months out and my hair has been coming out like crazy, the back and center of my head being the thinnest. I couldn’t stand how shabby and horrible it looked. I’ve never had super short hair but at the suggestion of my beautician I cut it all off... 12 inches, she gave me a super short pixie cut. I cried while she cut but I have to admit it looks so much better than my ratty hair looked before. It’s been a few days now and I’m actually liking it and trying to have fun with it. I’m glad I did it. When I was at my highest weight I hid behind my hair, so it’s been a kind of freeing experience if that makes sense.

It’s one of those things that happens to most people. My hair was so thin and I hated it. I was so excited when it started growing back. Yep, you will have weird wisps and it will look like you’re growing bangs, but keep working with your stylist. It comes back!
I had the sleeve in 2014, and the hair loss was bad, as I was quite sick. I just converted to bypass on 6/26, and I am just mentally preparing myself to deal with it again!
We are all in this together, baby fine hair and all lol!

five years post sleeve. I started losing my short thin hair at 5 months. It lasted two years before some regrowth. I was forced to buy a wig, lifesaver two years. I did everything right with Biotin, vitamins, protein, quit coloring my hair, used the fiber crappy thing to sprinkle in your hair. Lost hair at my temple which never came back. My hair is manageable the past two years, but still fragile. I lost 18 lbs. in the at 6 months. My hair is now coming out like crazy again. I don’t care what you do, it is the luck of the draw. You might never have this problem and wave it off, but some of us will always have a hair problem. I wear a visor a lot, and have my wigs handy.

Aaaaaand it's now noticeable. Have been pulling out hair in fistfuls, but today is the first time I've truly noticed that my hairline's gone thin at the temples after washing and drying my hair (when it's in peak form). Yikes.

I did start out with a considerable amount of hair, so I've got quite a lot left, but yeah - I'm going to get it cut to chin-length. It's long right now and the combination of the length's weight and how it's falling naturally... Nope. Chop chop chop.

3 minutes ago, sideeye said:

Aaaaaand it's now noticeable. Have been pulling out hair in fistfuls, but today is the first time I've truly noticed that my hairline's gone thin at the temples after washing and drying my hair (when it's in peak form). Yikes.

I did start out with a considerable amount of hair, so I've got quite a lot left, but yeah - I'm going to get it cut to chin-length. It's long right now and the combination of the length's weight and how it's falling naturally... Nope. Chop chop chop.

Sorry to hear it's still happening. Mines still coming out too. Very depressing xx

11 minutes ago, sideeye said:

Aaaaaand it's now noticeable. Have been pulling out hair in fistfuls, but today is the first time I've truly noticed that my hairline's gone thin at the temples after washing and drying my hair (when it's in peak form). Yikes.

I did start out with a considerable amount of hair, so I've got quite a lot left, but yeah - I'm going to get it cut to chin-length. It's long right now and the combination of the length's weight and how it's falling naturally... Nope. Chop chop chop.

Ugh! Sorry to hear that!

I'm don't do a lot of self pity, but I actually cried in the shower a couple of weeks ago over this.

I'm tempted to do the short and choppy thing, but I'm scared. I'm going to be w a coworker next week who has her cosmetology degree, (and is younger and hipper than I am!) and get her ideas on going short.

This is nuts... I'm 4 months out... zero hair loss. I wish there was more definitive information on this whole ordeal.

1 hour ago, sillykitty said:

Ugh! Sorry to hear that!

I'm don't do a lot of self pity, but I actually cried in the shower a couple of weeks ago over this.

I'm tempted to do the short and choppy thing, but I'm scared. I'm going to be w a coworker next week who has her cosmetology degree, (and is younger and hipper than I am!) and get her ideas on going short.

I'm cutting mine this weekend, I think. My hair is down to the middle of my back, I think i'll start off by going to my shoulders. Hopefully thicken it up.

Anyone trying Jamaican black Castor oil on their temple area for added protection of follicles , hot oil treatments, co washing only, washing and manipulating less? These are things done within the AA community to mitigate the effects of traction alopecia

VSG2017 HW 249 SW 238 CW 167

2 minutes ago, Tealael said:

Anyone trying Jamaican black Castor oil on their temple area for added protection of follicles , hot oil treatments, co washing only, washing and manipulating less? These are things done within the AA community to mitigate the effects of traction alopecia

VSG2017 HW 249 SW 238 CW 167

The issue with WLS hair loss isn't traction alopecia, it's telogen effluvium, the issue is caused by an internal stress triggering more follicles to go dormant at the same time than would normally happen, it's not *actual* hair loss, just, an issue where the normal shed cycle gets changed due to the stress of the surgery/fever/diet etc.

The issue with WLS Hair loss isn't traction alopecia, it's telogen effluvium, the issue is caused by an internal stress triggering more follicles to go dormant at the same time than would normally happen, it's not *actual* hair loss, just, an issue where the normal shed cycle gets changed due to the stress of the surgery/fever/diet etc.

I'm aware, I've posted rigorously about it. But those were my question in reference to rountines

VSG2017 HW 249 SW 238 CW 167

Just now, Tealael said:

I'm aware, I've posted rigorously about it. But those were my question in reference to rountines

VSG2017 HW 249 SW 238 CW 167

I'm just saying I don't see how an external product would help reduce an internally caused issue, that's all. You'd have to have done something to prevent the trigger, once that happens, that hair is going to fall out, no matter what you do at that point. External or internal.

I haven't lost much of anything, nothing that I wouldn't consider normal. The *ONLY* thing I've done really is I've been taking Biotin since well before my surgery... I've done nothing else extra or special.