I read something about the possibility of hair loss with the band. I think it said if you have your protein you will be fine. Has anyone here experienced hair loss due to the band or do you have any info on this subject, thanks in advance. Rose

hair loss isn't caused by the band...it's caused by weight loss. And it is usually worse if you lose weight quickly.... bypass people usually have more noticable hair loss than bandsters.

Some people swear by Protein intake, some buy and use fancy shampoos...the truth of the matter is (IMHO of course) regardless of what you do, you may or may not have some hair loss. It usually starts about 4 months or -40lbs out and within a month or 2 starts to regrow.

Thats the good news.....its *not* usually long lasting and it will most definitely regrow.

All the best,

Patricia

(had a very minimal amount of hair loss and did nothing special about it...)

11/16/06

306/204/175ish

Thanks so much, what a relief! I will not worry about it then. I get banded on the 16th. thanks, Rose

I have had some hair loss, but not noticable to anyone. I see it when I wash my hair. Its almost a year since surgery and I can see the new growth coming up. On dry cold days it sticks staight up on my head, so I know its growing back. I have really thick hair. It is starting to slack off. I proberly don't get as much protein as I should.

If you have have thin hair I would recommend making sure you have the recommending amount of protein. My mom has really thin hair and she didn't do to bad with hers but she uses some shampoo called Nixion, something like that.

My dietician said the hairloss is from the anestesia.. and you get it about 3-4 months out... then another person said it's from lack of protein.. then another said it was from losing too quickly... and another said it's from the stress of the procedure.... I don't know who's right or who's wrong... but apparently you get it about 4 months out and it grows back... :clap2:

I was told it was because you do not get enough fruit and veg in your diet post band and for the first couple of months you lose some of your hair. Not sure who told me that but my friend had the bypass and she only experienced a small amount of hair loss

Lauren x

crystal I am with you, there seems to be a different story from one person to the other.

I was banded on June 7 and started having an increase of hair loss in Sept and Oct. I have very thick hair and always shed when I blow dry but this time hands full in the shower. I did get to a point of panic and could have sworn a bald spot in my part area. When I went to the stylist last week( the same one for 18 years) she said it was fine and that my part was due to my length and my hair being heavy. She did notice new baby hair growth, but after my color and cut, boom, hair looked great. I have noticed it slowing down too.

So I am grateful, I was worried!!

I was warned of this too, and I began taking Biotin supplement for hair and skin and nails immediately after my surgery. It is at Walmart in the Vitamin section and it is very inexpensive. My nails are longer and stronger than they have ever been in my life. I used to wear artifical nails and I took them off one month before surgery. I wanted my nails to tell me how healthy I am, because they will. Your nails also have direct corelation with how much Protein you are getting.

I am careful to always get my minimum protein and try to get even more. I am thrilled that my nails are longer than they were with my artifical nails and they are healthy, do not split, chip or break......Yippee!!

As for hairloss, I have the usual amount that I have always lost. I have very long hair and it is very very thick. My hairdresser said so far no worries on too much hair loss.:wink:

I've been doing the Atkins in preparation for my band - 6 months doctor supervised diet required by the insurance AARGH! i've lost 42# since August and have experienced hair loss like y'all are talking about.

I talked to the dietician at my LapBand doc's office and she recommended a Calcium supplement, a b-complex, and Biotin. She also cautioned against staying on the Atkins "induction" phase for too long. I don't know about the "losing too fast", but it seems reasonable to me that a Vitamin deficiency would cause hair loss. (Heaven knows that i get enough Protein on Atkins!)

Since i started with the recommended vitamin supplements (in addition to a basic multi-vitamin) the hair loss has returned to my "normal" level.

Anyway, please use the resources at your LapBand doctor's office- have the nutritionist there review your actual diet and give you a recommendation. That's my 2-cents-worth. I hope it's useful.

I think most of the reasons stated can cause hairloss, so when you combine them (most bandsters) you end up with a lot of people experiencing hairloss.

When I had a hysterectomy in 2006 the doc told me that I could experience hairloss due to anaesthetic but that it would be temporary. I didnt really notice this after the hyster but whatever.

I was banded in Aug 2007, and just started to notice hair loss, especially if I part my hair, i can see a huge part. I am sure it is the combo platter, anaesthetic, weight loss, etc etc.

Funny, the hairloss is only on my head, my armpit hair and leg hair, and eyebrows did not receive the memo !!

I lost alot of hair at first after surgery then it slacked off then I had another surgery (unrelated) and it started again. I lost so much I burnt up my vacuum, but trust me it comes back my hair is thicker than ever and I am a year out.

Yup, lost quite a bit of hair. I ate plenty of Protein (often more than the 60 grams daily recommended). After a while it stopped.

My hairdresser recommended Biotin and it helped my hair to grow back faster and healthy. Biotin is the best for hair and nails.

I'm almost 5 months out, and despite my best focus on Protein AND taking Biotin, my worst fears are confirmed, I'm losing skads of hair on the shower.

Hopefully this will be short lived and it will grow back. My hair has already thinned down significantly in the last 20 years. I don't relish the thought of it getting thinner any quicker than is necessary!

btw -- I've had multiple surgeries over the years and never noticed any hair loss from anesthesia.

Biotin doesn't make your hair stop falling out, it makes it grow back faster and healthier.

Yes, about month 4 I began losing handfuls of hair in the shower. Now I have a HUGE head of hair so I didn't completely freak out, but it was very disconcerting to have to grab a handful of hair afterwards and throw it in the trash. I would probably say I have lost about 15-25% overall through months 4-7. I went to the dermatologist and he said yes I had dermatitis which is brought on by shock to the body (surgery, drastic weight loss, etc.) and I should get Head and Shoulders regular shampoo AND head and shoulders High Intensity shampoo (in the dark blue bottle) and wash my hair every day, alternating the two. Well, with my head of hair I DON'T wash every day....I'd be in the shower and messing with it forever...and I am too lazy, so I skipped the regular head and shoulders and just use the high intensity whenever I shampoo now. It has helped dramatically. I think WasABubbleButt said it can go on for about 10 months or so and then will slack off and eventually stop.

This, to me, is the scariest part of the whole process! My hair is ALREADY so thin and fine. :smile: