So I've had thick hair all my life, and it's been long for almost 2 years now with just trims here and there.

I'm starting to notice now though, for the past two weeks or so, that my hair is falling out very rapidly. I knew it was a side effect, though I can't help but panic a little bit about it. Every time I shower a big clump comes out in the shower, and then when I brush my hair it fills my hairbrush about halfway of more hair.

I was thinking maybe if I got my hair cut short, it will help since it wont need to be brushed as much, and it might look better when it starts regrowing? Was wondering who all else has went through hair loss and if they got it cut or just waited it out. Also those who have went through hair loss- does it regrow and how long did yours take before the hair loss finally stopped? Surgery date was 5/9 here, down 38 pounds from surgery, 62 from the start, 73 from my highest!

Would love to know what others have done. I had my surgery May 10 down 43 lbs total. SW 275.6
I am losing hair like crazy. My hands are full in the shower then after my brush and throughly the day if I run my hands through. I have long hair as well and am contemplating cutting it short even though I don’t like the look on me.

I am pre surgery so I am not speaking form experience, but if you don't like your hair short, how about trying a few inches just to make it look a little thicker? There are a lot of good products to make hair look thicker. How long is your hair now, and how short would you still feel comfortable with? A picture would help.

29 minutes ago, BabsR said:

Would love to know what others have done. I had my surgery May 10 down 43 lbs total. SW 275.6
I am losing hair like crazy. My hands are full in the shower then after my brush and throughly the day if I run my hands through. I have long hair as well and am contemplating cutting it short even though I don’t like the look on me.

Same here! I've had my hair short before and I do like it, but I love having my hair in pony tails too so it's driving me crazy to know what to do. Part of me thinks if it's shorter at least I won't be plugging the drain every shower!

6 minutes ago, Swanton_Bomb said:

I am pre surgery so I am not speaking form experience, but if you don't like your hair short, how about trying a few inches just to make it look a little thicker? There are a lot of good products to make hair look thicker. How long is your hair now, and how short would you still feel comfortable with? A picture would help.

I hate medium length hair- I think it looks gorgeous but it's always on my neck. Which sucks because one of my favorite- look wise- for me is medium length bob. But I hate it on my neck. It's currently about as long as my armpit. I have had my hair short before- which I like. I just dont like when I decide to grow it back out again, the medium length. But I also know that when my hair does grow back it's probably going to look half and half.. so Im just not sure.

10 minutes ago, AstroCat said:

Same here! I've had my hair short before and I do like it, but I love having my hair in pony tails too so it's driving me crazy to know what to do. Part of me thinks if it's shorter at least I won't be plugging the drain every shower!

I hate medium length hair- I think it looks gorgeous but it's always on my neck. Which sucks because one of my favorite- look wise- for me is medium length bob. But I hate it on my neck. It's currently about as long as my armpit. I have had my hair short before- which I like. I just dont like when I decide to grow it back out again, the medium length. But I also know that when my hair does grow back it's probably going to look half and half.. so Im just not sure.

Take off 3 inches maybe, that might be enough to thicken it up a bit.

Has anybody tried proactively using Rogaine for Women? Just wondering if that helped.

Hair loss from surgery is usually everyone's issue, and it sucks. Rogaine will not prevent that. Rogaine may speed up the phases from resting to growing that happens every 3 months but not prevent the initial loss. Shorter cuts or layers might visually hide the loss and growing out phases, but everyone has to decide what they can tolerate.

I have very fine hair already, and aging made that the reality <sigh>, but I don't like short hair on myself so I have medium w some layers. I see baby hairs growing in. Getting protein goals up as fast as you can helps you lose less hair, as you need protein to heal from the surgery. I have always taken prenatal dose of folic acid, it helps my hair grow quicker, I started biotin 6 months before surgery and maybe it helped, maybe it didn't but it can't hurt at least.

I did loose my hair as well, and it was very thick curly hair. Happily it did grow back after about 7 months later, but not as curly. Im a year out since surgery and i still have the baby hair still sticking up from places that the hair is regrowing. I did not use and Rogaine or anything else like that personally. All i can say it does come back and hats were my friends for awhile.

Wls:8/29/2017 HW:277 SW: 244 CW: 150

My hair curly after wls, and now using a flat iron

My hair before wls

Maybe I'll have baby curls again, I was born with them, my late Mama said I was adorable but maybe SHE was biased a little.

Personally I can't wait to cut my hair. Before I got married I had cute pixie cuts in nursing school that were so easy and I just loved. My husband prefers me with long hair and so I keep it shoulder length so I don't have to listen to him whine. I have my short cut picked out and everything.

I decided to go for it! it feels so much better now that I have it cut off- and I realized, when looking for a before and after picture to post on this, that I very very rarely even had my hair down, it was always pulled back in a ponytail. (And now when I shed at least it doesn't plug the drain haha)

One thing I noticed with my new haircut though, comparing to some older pictures of myself, is that my face seems so much healthier and thinner. I'm down a little over 40 pounds from surgery date, but I don't FEEL it, I still see myself as larger than I am, which I know is common.. but the past few days I've had several people compliment me, so I am starting to feel more positive!

Picture of me from a year ago with my daughter and hubby:

Picture to show my hair better before: this was about a month after surgery- still not the best but you can see how long my hair was. One of the only days I have worn it down in months.

New Hair Cut!:

On 8/14/2018 at 11:36 PM, 46w4kds said:

I did loose my hair as well, and it was very thick curly hair. Happily it did grow back after about 7 months later, but not as curly. Im a year out since surgery and i still have the baby hair still sticking up from places that the hair is regrowing. I did not use and Rogaine or anything else like that personally. All i can say it does come back and hats were my friends for awhile.

Wls:8/29/2017 HW:277 SW: 244 CW: 150

You're pictures look amazing congratulations! When I got my hair cut I was talking to the lady who does my hair 99% of the time, and she has had friends/family with WLS, and she said it usually grows back after a year, so "to expect little fuzzy regrowth in about a year from now" so that makes perfect sense! I'm not much of a hat person but I can see me using them if it gets bad enough for sure. I'm just glad it does grow back!

On 8/15/2018 at 1:15 AM, KCgirl061 said:

Personally I can't wait to cut my hair. Before I got married I had cute pixie cuts in nursing school that were so easy and I just loved. My husband prefers me with long hair and so I keep it shoulder length so I don't have to listen to him whine. I have my short cut picked out and everything.

Pixie cuts are awesome! Good excuse for it too good luck!

@AstroCat - the short hair looks great on you!

Mr Astro- Tomcat should be purring, you look pretty cute to have around.

I have very thick long hair too. I noticed huge amounts of loss around 4-7 months out after surgery. It is not noticeable to other people thank heavens. I am getting my haircut tomorrow as I have noticed the loss is normalizing and I’m expecting it will start regrowing soon.

@AstroCat I love the short hair on you too! Really brings out your eyes!