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

I have frontal alopecia so out of everything that came with the surgery, the Hair loss was one I was used to dealing with. I’m only 2 months out but I’ve seen a significant increase in the thinning. I guess I assumed it wouldn’t bother me since I’ve delt with it for a number of years, but it’s so bad you can pretty much see my entire scalp ?

I had mild hair loss at about 4 months, but it was the 6-8th months that I felt it was the worst. I had clumps of hair falling out in the shower. At first I wasn't worried because I have always had a thick head of hair, but as it became thinner and thinner, it started to worry me. I have been taking biotin since before surgery and maybe it would have been worse without it, but I'm not sure that it helped with the loss.

I had to stop blow drying my hair and stop getting my straightening treatment. My hair is semi curly and very frizzy, so that has been so difficult for me. I also noticed that my hair loss was greater on the days when I would pull my hair back in a ponytail or a hair band, any little stress on it pulled more out. Ladies, I looked a mess!

So now, my hair is much thinner, but it is starting to grow back, and the most annoying thing is that I have a halo of frizz around my head from the short hairs that have grown back, no matter the style I use. I have purchased just about every product in the Diva Curl line to reduce the frizz, it works better than the more expensive keratin shampoo and conditioner I was buying. I am still forcing myself to try to work with the curl and use no heat styling if I can help it.

I'm getting a keratin treatment this weekend to try to help with the frizz. Wish me luck!

Thank you Tealael,

Yes even the medication box states such. I think anytime someone is malnourished this will be a normal part of there life.

Scheduled the chop for Tuesday - probably about 6 inches off. I cannot believe how much hair I'm still pulling out, it's nuts, and this is probably a month into the official hair loss. The diameter of my ponytail is maybe a nickel (used to be a silver dollar). At this point I'm looking forward to cutting it all off, purely to get a little lift at the roots again.

Edited July 30, 20188 yr by sideeye

8 hours ago, sideeye said:

Scheduled the chop for Tuesday - probably about 6 inches off. I cannot believe how much hair I'm still pulling out, it's nuts, and this is probably a month into the official Hair loss. The diameter of my ponytail is maybe a nickel (used to be a silver dollar). At this point I'm looking forward to cutting it all off, purely to get a little lift at the roots again.

We had our surgeries a week apart and I'm still losing a ton. Pulled a dead-mouse worth out of the shower drain this morning - UGH! But since all my brothers are bald, maybe I can't complain too much. I do expect mine to grow back

On 6/20/2018 at 4:37 PM, sillykitty said:

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.

From my program's nutrition booklet:

Hello.
I managed not to lose hair when I was sleeved in May of 2013. I am 5’1 and had a BMI of 35. My weight was 184. I have lost over 60lbs not including the additional 10lbs that I had lost in 2015 due to brain surgery. Before and after my 2013 Bariatric Sleeve surgery, I took the standard Biotin along with prenatal vitamins. I also took something else after the surgery that I believe made a difference: Ashwagandha. It is an adaptogen that lowers cortisol and stress bringing balance to the body. Bariatric surgery and the aftermath is extremely stressful to the body causing Telogen Effluvium (hair loss). Ashwagandha has many other uses. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center notes it’s benefits on their web site. I waited apprehensively for the hair loss and thinning to begin. Nothing really out of the ordinary happened. I even let my bob grow below my shoulders that first year. I have done more damage myself to my hair being a high lift blonde having my regrowth done every two weeks. In May of 2015, I tore my ACL and also hit my head. Over the next month I became sicker and sicker. The doctors diagnosed a sinus infection. They were wrong. I had a large subdural hematoma with midline brain shift and herniation. Almost a month later that June, I had to have an emergency, life saving craniotomy. The neurosurgeon for some reason didn’t shave the whole side of my head like he normally would have done; just a rather large strip. After getting out of ICU and Acute Rehab, I started taking Ashwagandha again fearing my hair would fall out and I would be unable to part my hair (a bob again) on the opposite side to cover the huge hole that I was left in my head. Even with a traumatic brain injury, the subsequent stress from it that still continues even today, my hair did not fall out. I have been blessed in so many ways. Ashwagandha can thin the blood. Do not take it before surgery for this reason and wait until you are through with your blood thinners after. Ashwagandha naturally contains iron which of course is beneficial. Do a little research and speak with your physician. I don’t know for sure if it was the Ashwagahnda that help prevent or minimize hair loss after both surgeries, but I thought I would pass on my positive experiences with it. I still use it for stress. Good luck.

1 hour ago, ChuchieG. said:

Hello.
I managed not to lose hair when I was sleeved in May of 2013. I am 5’1 and had a BMI of 35. My weight was 184. I have lost over 60lbs not including the additional 10lbs that I had lost in 2015 due to brain surgery. Before and after my 2013 Bariatric Sleeve surgery, I took the standard Biotin along with prenatal Vitamins. I also took something else after the surgery that I believe made a difference: Ashwagandha. It is an adaptogen that lowers cortisol and stress bringing balance to the body. Bariatric surgery and the aftermath is extremely stressful to the body causing Telogen Effluvium (hair loss). Ashwagandha has many other uses. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center notes it’s benefits on their web site. I waited apprehensively for the Hair loss and thinning to begin. Nothing really out of the ordinary happened. I even let my bob grow below my shoulders that first year. I have done more damage myself to my hair being a high lift blonde having my regrowth done every two weeks. In May of 2015, I tore my ACL and also hit my head. Over the next month I became sicker and sicker. The doctors diagnosed a sinus infection. They were wrong. I had a large subdural hematoma with midline brain shift and herniation. Almost a month later that June, I had to have an emergency, life saving craniotomy. The neurosurgeon for some reason didn’t shave the whole side of my head like he normally would have done; just a rather large strip. After getting out of ICU and Acute Rehab, I started taking Ashwagandha again fearing my hair would fall out and I would be unable to part my hair (a bob again) on the opposite side to cover the huge hole that I was left in my head. Even with a traumatic brain injury, the subsequent stress from it that still continues even today, my hair did not fall out. I have been blessed in so many ways. Ashwagandha can thin the blood. Do not take it before surgery for this reason and wait until you are through with your blood thinners after. Ashwagandha naturally contains Iron which of course is beneficial. Do a little research and speak with your physician. I don’t know for sure if it was the Ashwagahnda that help prevent or minimize hair loss after both surgeries, but I thought I would pass on my positive experiences with it. I still use it for stress. Good luck.

I had never heard of this. I just checked it out with one of my cousins who is an herbalist in Poughkeepsie and she recommends it highly. I'm going to give it a try. Thanks for the recommendation!

Edited July 30, 20188 yr by Orchids&Dragons

2 hours ago, ChuchieG. said:

Hello.
I managed not to lose hair when I was sleeved in May of 2013. I am 5’1 and had a BMI of 35. My weight was 184. I have lost over 60lbs not including the additional 10lbs that I had lost in 2015 due to brain surgery. Before and after my 2013 Bariatric Sleeve surgery, I took the standard Biotin along with prenatal Vitamins. I also took something else after the surgery that I believe made a difference: Ashwagandha. It is an adaptogen that lowers cortisol and stress bringing balance to the body. Bariatric surgery and the aftermath is extremely stressful to the body causing Telogen Effluvium (hair loss). Ashwagandha has many other uses. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center notes it’s benefits on their web site. I waited apprehensively for the Hair loss and thinning to begin. Nothing really out of the ordinary happened. I even let my bob grow below my shoulders that first year. I have done more damage myself to my hair being a high lift blonde having my regrowth done every two weeks. In May of 2015, I tore my ACL and also hit my head. Over the next month I became sicker and sicker. The doctors diagnosed a sinus infection. They were wrong. I had a large subdural hematoma with midline brain shift and herniation. Almost a month later that June, I had to have an emergency, life saving craniotomy. The neurosurgeon for some reason didn’t shave the whole side of my head like he normally would have done; just a rather large strip. After getting out of ICU and Acute Rehab, I started taking Ashwagandha again fearing my hair would fall out and I would be unable to part my hair (a bob again) on the opposite side to cover the huge hole that I was left in my head. Even with a traumatic brain injury, the subsequent stress from it that still continues even today, my hair did not fall out. I have been blessed in so many ways. Ashwagandha can thin the blood. Do not take it before surgery for this reason and wait until you are through with your blood thinners after. Ashwagandha naturally contains Iron which of course is beneficial. Do a little research and speak with your physician. I don’t know for sure if it was the Ashwagahnda that help prevent or minimize hair loss after both surgeries, but I thought I would pass on my positive experiences with it. I still use it for stress. Good luck.

Good to know, and CONGRATS on all of the recoveries!!!!!!!!!

17 hours ago, sideeye said:

Scheduled the chop for Tuesday - probably about 6 inches off. I cannot believe how much hair I'm still pulling out, it's nuts, and this is probably a month into the official Hair loss. The diameter of my ponytail is maybe a nickel (used to be a silver dollar). At this point I'm looking forward to cutting it all off, purely to get a little lift at the roots again.

Don't forget we need an updated Daria profile pic lol

On 7/30/2018 at 5:43 PM, GreenTealael said:

Don't forget we need an updated Daria profile pic lol

Done.

Also done: a full foot of hair. (Broom included for scale)

Edited August 1, 20188 yr by sideeye

Y_I_P_E_S!

CUTE

I don't post photos of myself online, but for reference, the hair pretty much looks like this, except imagine the face with my avatar's expression and ear piercings. And the hairdresser told me that the thinning wasn't actually bad at all, she didn't end up with clumps of hair in her hands during the shampoo, though we agreed to part my hair on the left since my right temple is much thinner than the left (why?!).

Don't fear the long bob!

I've been taking a medicine for the last 2 years that does the same (can't wait until I get a few months out with this), and this is what I have learned. I take prescription folic acid, and biotin; and improvement is minimal. You can use Rogaine but it will just fall out when you stop using it. I have the same pattern you describe and work with my hairdresser to minimize the appearance:

I highlight my hair with foils- gives more volume, and lighter hair makes the thining less obvious

like you I baby my hair when I can

I do keep it short, I find towards time for my cut it's more obvious

Good Luck!