Let me preface by saying I wash my hair 1x a week, I do bleach my hair (have been for yearssss), I eat over 100g of protein per day, take all my vitamins daily even extra biotin which has helped ( I think if not my lashes are longer) lol I did change my shampoo to Oplalex 2months ago, which after I looked it up had a law suit from women saying the product caused hair loss? My hair does shed and has since surgery but nothing crazy.

I had my surgery about 4 months ago, and yesterday a very alarming amount of hair come out yesterday! I had my hair up in a bun didn't brush it, pure laziness on my part, but when I took it down and brushed my hair a ton came out...figured okay probably because of not washing my hair yet and not brushing/ putting it in a bun. After I brushed my hair and braided it because I took the kids swimming. Came home and washed my hair and put a hair mask in my hair which I do every week. And HOLY ISH! So much more hair! I yelled for my boyfriend and he was even taken back with how much it was.

I am not sure if I need to prepare for the worst or if THAT WAS THE WORST. I brushed my this morning and the normal amount came out.

Am I going to go bald?!

6 minutes ago, AmberFL said:

I am thinking I will have to do the same, which I have stopped putting heat to my hair now, Might just do one blow dry after my wash a week. I agree your hair shorter looks healthier and fuller. You have a nice face shape for both so you are rockin the new do!

Call me vain but I am devastated about looking at short hair cuts LOL Thankfully my hair grows quickly so I am going to take collagen so my Hair growth comes in healthy and strong. You were right nothing I am doing is helping I brush my hair every morning and 15-20 strands of hair just come out *le Sigh*

Thank you so much!!! A trick was to have the hair dresser do layers in my hair. Adds shape, depth, and fullness. And the shorter length really helps. I wash my hair twice per week. I blow dry it with a diffuser so the heat isn't directly on my scalp. I add leave in conditioner for curls and a tiny bit of curl defining mousse and then blow dry it. Once it's all set, I run my fingers through it a few times and that's literally it. Think about doing layers when you get it cut. It's hard to part with the length at first, but once you see your hair looking fuller and healthier, and it's a lot easier to manage, it takes the sting out pretty quick.

2 minutes ago, SleeveToBypass2023 said:

Thank you so much!!! A trick was to have the hair dresser do layers in my hair. Adds shape, depth, and fullness. And the shorter length really helps. I wash my hair twice per week. I blow dry it with a diffuser so the heat isn't directly on my scalp. I add leave in conditioner for curls and a tiny bit of curl defining mousse and then blow dry it. Once it's all set, I run my fingers through it a few times and that's literally it. Think about doing layers when you get it cut. It's hard to part with the length at first, but once you see your hair looking fuller and healthier, and it's a lot easier to manage, it takes the sting out pretty quick.

I have layers now they are just long layers, I am not sure if you can really tell in the pic but its the only pic I have on my computer lol but I am looking at medium hair cuts with choppy layers, I am going to stay blond and just chop it off I suppose. I know regardless its going to be a big change and when I meet with my hairdresser in Aug I am hoping the shedding has subsided so we can really figure out how to tackle my hair.

oh the hair loss blues.

if its gonna happen its gonna happen.

mine started dropping out at 3 months, i had CARPETS of hair all over the house.

bit the bullet and cut it to a pixie cut cuz i got tired of vaccuming and snaking the shower drain of all that effing hair.

at around 6-7 months post op i noticed little chicken hairs sticking straight up all over my head. by 2 years, all those little chicken hairs were the same length as the rest of my shoulder length hair. by 4 years, my hair was just as long as it was pre-wls AND it was thicker AND curlier (bonus!). i aslo had regular haircuts throughout all this, so i'm sure it would have been longer if i didn't...but it probably wouldn't have looked as healthy....

i'll be 6 years post op in October and my hair is still long and lovely.

here's a collage i made when i was 4 years post op to show the hair state progression. the last pic is of me 2 years ago, i'll see if i can post one of my hair today after i shower, if i don't get to lazy.

Edited May 30, 20242 yr by ms.sss

4 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

oh the Hair loss blues.

if its gonna happen its gonna happen.

mine started dropping out at 3 months, i had CARPETS of hair all over the house.

bit the bullet and cut it to a pixie cut cuz i got tired of vaccuming and snaking the shower drain of all that effing hair.

at around 6-7 months post op i noticed little chicken hairs sticking straight up all over my head. by 2 years, all those little chicken hairs were the same length as the rest of my shoulder length hair. by 4 years, my hair was just as long as it was pre-wls AND it was thicker AND curlier (bonus!).

i'll be 6 years post op in October and my hair is still long and lovely.

here's a collage i made when i was 4 years post op to show the hair state progression. the last pic is of me 2 years ago, i'll see if i can post one of my hair today after i shower, if i don't get to lazy.

did you feel like you needed a pixi cut due to the loss or was just over all the shedding? I will be honest I don't have your confidence to rock it! You look sooo good in each stage!!!

7 minutes ago, AmberFL said:

did you feel like you needed a pixi cut due to the loss or was just over all the shedding? I will be honest I don't have your confidence to rock it! You look sooo good in each stage!!!

both.

when my hair was long when it first started coming out, the weight of the hair still on my head pulled it down and actually made the whiteness of my scalp more prominent...make me look more bald! the pixie cut made it easier to fluff up the roots to camouflage my scalp a little more, looking less bald lol.

and yeah, the shorter cut meant less shedded hair to clean up around the house which is always a good thing.

p.s. you may be surprised oh how well you could rock a shorter cut with your slimmer face though....but i get it, there can be some low key trauma to see all that hair on the cutting room floor. but i've had a pixie 2 other times in my life so i had pre-trauma to get over it lol.

Edited May 30, 20242 yr by ms.sss

11 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

both.

when my hair was long when it first started coming out, the weight of the hair still on my head pulled it down and actually made the whiteness of my scalp more prominent...make me look more bald! the pixie cut made it easier to fluff up the roots to camouflage my scalp a little more, looking less bald lol.

and yeah, the shorter cut meant less shedded hair to clean up around the house which is always a good thing.

p.s. you may be surprised oh how well you could rock a shorter cut with your slimmer face though....but i get it, there can be some low key trauma to see all that hair on the cutting room floor. but i've had a pixie 2 other times in my life so i had pre-trauma to get over it lol.

okay I am dramatic and probably will cry when she snips it off. LOL Thank you for your words of wisdom as always!

31 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

when my hair was long when it first started coming out, the weight of the hair still on my head pulled it down and actually made the whiteness of my scalp more prominent..

p.s. you may be surprised oh how well you could rock a shorter cut with your slimmer face though.

Both of these points right here are exactly 100% correct.

2 hours ago, AmberFL said:

I have layers now they are just long layers, I am not sure if you can really tell in the pic but its the only pic I have on my computer lol but I am looking at medium hair cuts with choppy layers, I am going to stay blond and just chop it off I suppose. I know regardless its going to be a big change and when I meet with my hairdresser in Aug I am hoping the shedding has subsided so we can really figure out how to tackle my hair.

Ok, first of all, you're BEAUTIFUL!!! Just wanted to say that.

Now, as far as already having layers, you're half way there then!!! Look at having medium layers with hair about 4 inches shorter than in this pic and you should be ok. Ask your hairdresser about ways to style it to minimize the look of your scalp showing through.

42 minutes ago, SleeveToBypass2023 said:

Ok, first of all, you're BEAUTIFUL!!! Just wanted to say that.

Now, as far as already having layers, you're half way there then!!! Look at having medium layers with hair about 4 inches shorter than in this pic and you should be ok. Ask your hairdresser about ways to style it to minimize the look of your scalp showing through.

omg thank you!! That is very kind of you to say ❤️

Yes I was looking at cuts just above my shoulders then going a bit blonder. In my head I think that the blonder might mask the baldness if I get to that point lol!

4 minutes ago, AmberFL said:

In my head I think that the blonder might mask the baldness if I get to that point lol!

yes, it will, a little! the contrast between dark hair and white scalp is more noticeable so going lighter towards the colour of your scalp will help with the illusion....unless of course your scalp is like florescent white lol

6 hours ago, SleeveToBypass2023 said:

My natural waves came back in full force, which helped A LOT. And it's easier to maintain and doesn't look thin at all.

(( I just wanted to say, I love your hair! Those waves are honestly my dream goals -- my hair has always been pin straight, flat and refuses to hold a curl ))

19 hours ago, AmberFL said:

omg thank you!! That is very kind of you to say ❤️

Yes I was looking at cuts just above my shoulders then going a bit blonder. In my head I think that the blonder might mask the baldness if I get to that point lol!

Very true, but be careful not to bleach your hair. Ask your hairdresser how to color it without doing extra damage since your hair will already be a bit more sensitive than normal. But going lighter (not platinum blond or anything, just a little) could help some. It won't work miracles, but it could help a bit. I use volumizing products, which help, as well.

18 hours ago, JennyBeez said:

(( I just wanted to say, I love your hair! Those waves are honestly my dream goals -- my hair has always been pin straight, flat and refuses to hold a curl ))

Thank you!!! I loved my waves in high school, then for whatever reason I just started to dislike them about 20 years ago and was always straightening my hair. This time around, I had the big surgeries (hysterectomy and emergency surgery right after) and decided that I wasn't in the mood to bother. I cut my hair again because again, didn't want to deal with it, and then waves came back in full force. I decided I love them again lol So now I don't straighten my hair, I don't put a lot of product in it, I just let it live and breath. And I'm finding the shorter, wavier hair is actually a lot more flattering than long straight hair. So yay!! lol

52 minutes ago, SleeveToBypass2023 said:

Very true, but be careful not to bleach your hair. Ask your hairdresser how to color it without doing extra damage since your hair will already be a bit more sensitive than normal. But going lighter (not platinum blond or anything, just a little) could help some. It won't work miracles, but it could help a bit. I use volumizing products, which help, as well.

I am not sure what she does, I know this will be the 3rd session for going blonder. I went super dark after I had my son because I couldn't do the upkeep then regretted it now going back to blond lol She refused to damage my hair. Which i appreciate I pay her a lot of money for nice hair LOL

Week 11 tomorrow, and I definitely notice more shedding now -- and all of a sudden, the ends of my hair seem to be getting drier and more brittle. I guess it's 'begun' ?