It has started. My hair is falling out in tub clogging, brush filling, handfuls. I knew it was coming, but nothing prepares you for it. I've noticed the touch of my hair has changed. I mean, it's dry. I just got a haircut a few weeks ago, I use good quality moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, and a leave in conditioner. Is it normal for it to be dry too?

I'm two months out and I just noticed how dry my hair is getting ,too ! ( Hasn't started falling out yet , but I expect it soon ) This surgery is taking all kinds of strange twists and turns !

1 hour ago, LindsayT said:

It has started. My hair is falling out in tub clogging, brush filling, handfuls. I knew it was coming, but nothing prepares you for it. I've noticed the touch of my hair has changed. I mean, it's dry. I just got a haircut a few weeks ago, I use good quality moisturizing Shampoo and conditioner, and a leave in conditioner. Is it normal for it to be dry too?

So sorry, I know this is an important topic for us women!! Just remember it will all be worth it in the end! It is a natural response to losing the weight in such a short amount of time! I had my sleeve done April 12, 2023 and i have also noticed more coming out than before. I havent really noticed the dryness, maybe wash your hair less to see if that helps.

the best thing I ever did was switching to a hairdresser that also had bariatric surgery. Because she had went through it herself ontop of her general hair knowledge I have felt so much more in control and so good about the decisions we made as far as cuts and products.

6 hours ago, LindsayT said:

It has started. My hair is falling out in tub clogging, brush filling, handfuls. I knew it was coming, but nothing prepares you for it. I've noticed the touch of my hair has changed. I mean, it's dry. I just got a haircut a few weeks ago, I use good quality moisturizing Shampoo and conditioner, and a leave in conditioner. Is it normal for it to be dry too?

When I had my sleeve, I started SERIOUSLY shedding at around 3 months post op. It didn't stop until 9 months post op. So not looking forward to it again. What I noticed helped was taking collagen, biotin, extra protein, and using a shampoo and conditioner with collagen and biotin in it and doing a hair mask twice a week.

Biotin and collagen don't stop hair from falling out, or really have anything to do with regrowth. But what they DO do is they help with actual hair texture, shine, split ends, and dryness. The protein is what's actually needed for hair regrowth since your hair needs it but can't produce it on its own.

Everything you're experiencing is very normal. It's gonna get worse before it gets better, but it WILL eventually get better.

It can be a real shock when you first see the hair in the shower even when you know it happens. Remember it does pass & your new hair is still growing just at it’s usual rate. A hair positive I got through all of this is my hair isn’t as oily as it used to be before surgery.

The dry hair is often from the anaesthetic. It can become fuzzy or frizzy too. It usually grows out. Treat it gently in the meantime & try some treatments to keep it soft.

I used to shed the usual 50-100 strands per day prior to surgery, plus my hair was brittle and thin. I was advised by the RN to keep hair loose as much as possible, take biotin for new hair growth, avoid treatments or heat, and was only once a week. While I was doing that the first few months, it did increase a little bit, but wasn't as alarming since I had cut my hair from hips to shoulder length one month post op.

Now at 8 months post op, I have started to wash it 2x per week, and can definitely see more shedding. I have reduced the brushing to once a day, try to keep it as loose as possible (no messy buns) and started using some natural hair drops that stimulate growth and help with dryness.

I suspect it will be a few more months of excess shedding for me, I'm just glad there is no bald spots.

yup, yup and yup.

yup, my hair starting falling out at 3 months.

yup, started to notice less hair accumulation on the floor AND itty bitty regrowth hairs on my head around 6-7 months.

yup, my hair was dryer and more brittle looking at that time.

yup, by the time i hit around 2.5 years post op, those itty bitty hairs were the same length as the rest of my shoulder length hair (at the time) that didn't fall out.

like @Arabesque, i also experienced the bonus of no-longer oily hair, AND no more dry scalp/dandruff issues, AND my new hairs grew in with a pretty little wave to them (yay!) AND it actually seems thicker and healthier now than pre-surgery (though this could likely be because of my better diet and overall health, AND because im so vain now i take better care of myself, including my hair, lol)

i'm almost 5 years out now, and you would never think i ever had a hair loss problem.

i know it doesn't help very much when u are in the thick of it, but TrY to keep in mind its only temporary.

Good Luck! ❤️

My hair started falling out 3 months in, grew back, and now it's falling out again (due to some non-surgery related health issues.). I feel your pain, and it will come back. I like to joke I had to trade my boobs and hair for a healthy body, which I suppose is a fair trade but it was very upsetting to go through!