I had surgery in April. It's been 4 months. I went from 340lbs to 255lbs, which is a total of 85lbs down. I'd rather have the weight loss than the hair anyways but... I just need a moment to mourn the loss of my hair!

I'm literally pulling clumps out every day. Some people say they can't notice their hair loss. You can 100% notice mine. I hope it stops soon otherwise I won't have any hair left over! I'm going to buy a wig topper this weekend. Sighhh.... can't wait for regrowth.

I feel your pain. I’ve always had thinner Swedish type hair. I had hair loss. Noticeable. It has stopped and is regrowing. It’s about 2-3 inches regrown and I have a fuzzy hair halo. It’s not pretty but it’s coming back. I had my surgery 11/27/17.

I had my surgery in November of 2013 and I went through hair loss. I had long hair before I had my surgery and now it's short.

24 minutes ago, Sprinkles1 said:

I had surgery in April. It's been 4 months. I went from 340lbs to 255lbs, which is a total of 85lbs down. I'd rather have the weight loss than the hair anyways but... I just need a moment to mourn the loss of my hair!

I'm literally pulling clumps out every day. Some people say they can't notice their Hair loss. You can 100% notice mine. I hope it stops soon otherwise I won't have any hair left over! I'm going to buy a wig topper this weekend. Sighhh.... can't wait for regrowth.

I'm right there with you - had surgery March 5th - started noticing hair thinning in July. I had a thick head of hair so no one but me really notices. But i'm so ready for it to begin regrowing! A friend recommended Viviscal vitamins for hair - so I'm going to pick some up today and try that. Apparently it takes about a month to start working - but I really want my hair to get thicker soon

You have Swedish hair, well I am Celtic fair, pretty comparable, difference is your hair is straight , my has curls and waves to it, but we both are pretty fair. Reading your post and Sprinkles I can hear,what song,is playing. My surgery is,September 5th, this means somewhere between. Christmas and Valentine's Day I either will have a thin afro/halo of red gold curls or I'm gonna have the appearance of a very weird chicken trying her hardest to grow feathers,...I'll take it, I knit, I crochet, I have any number of knitted caps, I'll keep it trimmed short,until the new comes in. This I can do, what I don't want is obesity, pain, the sorrow of hardly being able,to walk, using a cane knowing I am scant stage from regressing to a walker,or wheelchair, because my 2 knee replacements keep,saying " Lady, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT US TO DO, WE ARE DOING OUR BEST! Hokay, as an example take today, and I would like to give it away!. I get,out of bed, my urinary system says " Keep moving, this could be embarrassing.: Of course my bathroom is in the opposite end of my living quarters from my bedroom. I get there just,in time after a fast waddle through the house, ah #1, blessed relief! Then my colon speaks up, he's even more peeved than the urinary system was. He stickers " You thought that 120 oz was enough to keep things moving along well? Ha, you let the kidneys take it all! Now you'll see,how efficient I AM! Go ahead and strain, strain all you can ,maybe I'll work, maybe I'll just hold to what I have in here! Haven't decided yet. "Yeah even my elimination organs are mouthy, wonder if Premier Protein or Adkins make a shake that has prune juice?,,Been using Miralax 3 times a week, maybe I should go to every other day, maybe every day? Squatty Potty here I come!
I am needing to move these limitations into E-limitations, it's a challenge but ladies, I Am The Woman for it, you are winning your battles, can I do less? If i,end up doing,it half bald it will be a step up from where I am now

How long did it take for the hair loss to stop?? I'm ready for this to be over [emoji24]

I have a female family member who had suddenly lost a lot of hair after taking topamax for migraines. She had clumps coming out as well, and the doctors couldn't figure out what helps.

She's had some success with Nutrifol (Supplements), plus adding 10,000IU of Biotin. She also doesn't blow dry her hair, and she's tried a dozen different shampoos and so far likes "Thicker Fuller Hair" shampoo. She told me that she's not really growing more hair, but she's not losing it. She has not tried women's rogane though. She was prescribed some sort of special shampoo, but that just made it worse.

I'm sorry you ladies have that problem - seems like it is less socially-acceptable for women to have thin or no hair. I'm not far out enough to tell for me, but the hair started turning white (About 6 months ago, before surgery), so if it falls out, then you can't tell I'm getting old!

I hope that if you try the supplements it will help. They are pretty expensive though, I think she said the nutrifol was over $50 a month!

You might find your answer here. Spoiler: Hair loss rarely lasts more than 6 months.

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

Edited August 10, 20188 yr by Missouri-Lee's Summit

I know it doesn't last very long... but with the amount I'm losing... I won't have any hair by then. I'm not even being dramatic. I can tea l run my hands through my hair and have a fist full of hair. I'm seriously debating just shaving my entire hair so when it does grow back it'll look even. I'm sick of having strands of hair everywhere... sigh!

Your problem may be your pen name, you literally,have sprinkles of hair here and there. At least yours will be a normal color and pretty soon the right thickness. My friends that went through chemo ended with different. One girlfriend had straight,blond hair. After her round,wss through she developed red gold curls. Said she went,from Anna Nicole Smith to little Orphan Annie. ?

I lost a small hamster sized ball of hair the other day in the shower. I went out the next day and got a bob haircut that barely covers my earlobes. It looks way better than the finger-sized ponytail I had left, and it's way easier to groom and go.

I actually remember losing more hair during my four pregnancies.

I have noticed a little hair loss since surgery, but not much. I have good hair. Good genes, I guess. I'm in my 50s and still no gray hair. I've never colored my hair either. I pretty much ignore it. Just cheap shampoo when it needs it. My hair has always been the same dark brown with reddish-gold highlights. My great-grandmother was in her 80s and she had no gray either. My mother has some gray hair. My younger sister and daughter have some gray, too.

On 8/11/2018 at 3:45 AM, Missouri-Lee's Summit said:

I actually remember losing more hair during my four pregnancies.

I have noticed a little Hair loss since surgery, but not much. I have good hair. Good genes, I guess. I'm in my 50s and still no gray hair. I've never colored my hair either. I pretty much ignore it. Just cheap Shampoo when it needs it. My hair has always been the same dark brown with reddish-gold highlights. My great-grandmother was in her 80s and she had no gray either. My mother has some gray hair. My younger sister and daughter have some gray, too.

Missouri-Lee's Summit - not to scare you, but I, too, had beautiful hair - a thick head of hair - so thick that I used to joke with my hairdressers to shave off 1/2 of it (underneath) because it was too thick! It used to take my hairdresser at least an hour to dry my hair straight - there would be 5 layers - I've even had 2 stylists working on me at once when I wore it longer.

My surgery was March 5th. I started noticing the hair thinning in July - and it has continued through now. From what I've read, it usually occurs between 6 and 12 months and can last for 4-6 months. My hair is baby fine thin now. I even went to a wig shop and set up an appointment because if it continues thinning out (they said it could last for several months) - I may get a topper or full wig (insurance won't cover, but I'm willing to spend the $300-$1000).

I just got it cut shorter to my shoulders and am trying to make it look thicker by using mousse and other thickening products in it.

II did start taking Viviscal today - it's supposed to help promote thicker/faster hair growth. I will let you know if I notice any results. I really hope you don't have to face it because it can be quite disconcerting seeing so much hair everytime you wash, brush, or run your fingers through...but if it does happen, just remember it's only temporary. It will grow back! That's what I keep telling myself.

@Roxine. You didn't scare me... and like you said, it's only temporary. I've been taking collagen peptides (for skin, hair, nail, and joint support) for about a couple of weeks. It might help; it might not. My guess is that I'm a good deal older than you, so I'm used to my body heading South. I looked up Viviscal... I wonder what horsetail extract does? I'll ask my daughter about it; she's a pharmacist.

Just curious, but did you grow up sitting on your hair? I did. Super long, super thick and straight. I've worn it shoulder length for several years now. I've never had it any shorter.

I'm happy for you regarding all the weight you've lost. Your remaining weight is the about the same as the weight I've lost so far.

Since my pregnancies already scared the becheezits outta me when my hair was falling out in handfuls, I'm sort of prepared. I hope it doesn't happen, but I think I'll do okay. Also, and due to my thyroid, I have very little body hair. Never have to shave my legs. No hair!

If you decide to get a wig, let me know. If you get one, are you planning to go drastically different or more or less the same as your hair now?

Edited August 13, 20188 yr by Missouri-Lee's Summit

Thank you all for these threads about hair loss, even though I'm preop, I've worried about it a little bit. I'm glad to have the information so I can be prepared. I've always had thick, full, wavy hair that has thinned slightly at the start of menopause. Hoping this next adventure leaves it alone. Anyway, it's great to hear that the loss is usually temporary. What a relief!

I just bought a wig topper this week! It's really nice. Looks very natural and was about $180. I'm still losing a ton of hair but at least I have my confidence back... for now! I lose the most hair after washing it so i only wash it once a week.