Concerned with my hair loss, anyone else has this problem?

EmmaWang · July 1, 2009

For the past 5 weeks, I’ve been losing lots of hairs everyday, I am very concerned with it.

The Hair loss started in my 3rd month post-op. I don’t know what caused it.

I haven’t had good restriction with my band even though I've had 6 fills.

I eat almost 2 cups of food each meal and I consume around 100-120 grams of Protein everyday together with plenty of vegetable. I take Biotin 3 times per day, also drink benefiber so I wouldn’t have the Constipation issue.

I mean, I have been consuming more than enough nutrients everyday and my weight loss is kept at a slow pace (around 1-1.5 lbs each week), why am I losing so much hair? This is so scary! Another thing is I’ve been staying on the birth control pills before and after the surgery. However, when I had the surgery in March, I stopped the pill on the surgery day and a couple of days after the surgery, therefore it broke my cycle. I don’t know should I attribute the hair loss to that or the surgery.

Edited July 1, 2009 by EmmaWang

MissChristina · July 1, 2009

I'm having the same problem with Hair loss. It's starting to freak me out. I'm very interested to see if anyone else is dealing with this and what they've done.

gabi311b · July 1, 2009

I started losing my hair also at month three. I get enough Protein and I have been taking Biotin and a Multivitamin. I always prided myself on my thick hair and now my ponytail is sooooo small and it's scaring me too!

EmmaWang, I don't think the pill has anything to do with the hair loss...I think it's some other cause.

EmmaWang · July 1, 2009

I guess this is the surgery's doing then. Losing hair is so upsetting. Before the surgery I saw a woman at the doctor's office who successfully lost 130 lbs in 14 months. She lost so much hair that the top of her was half bald. I was also really worried when I saw her. But never thought it could happen to me. The good news lis that when I saw her again last week in the doctor's office. Her hair must have grown some back, still thin, but better than I saw three months ago.

Edited July 1, 2009 by EmmaWang

addelapp5 · July 1, 2009

I'm a little over 3 months post op and I started loosing more hair about 2-3 weeks ago. I PANICKED because my hair is really fine (but not really thin)... but still, I've been loosing 20-30 strands in the shower and countless more through the day when I brush my hair or just run my hands through it. Plenty of Protein and such on my end. A lot of times apparently the stress from surgery can cause Hair loss. That's what I'm going with anyway.

I started using Nioxin Shampoo. Freaked me out at first because the first week I used it I actually lost MORE hair, but apparently that's normal (it cleanses your scalp and thus you lose the dead hair). I don't know if it's working yet or not. Only been using it for 3 weeks but I feel better about it anyway. Also taking Biotin. I think that's about all I can do. I'll just hope that I don't get a big bald spot. It'll pass.

hopeful41411 · July 2, 2009

Me too! :thumbdown:The first time I discussed it with my doctor's office they said it was no big deal. I planning on talking with them again soon because it has continued. I get all of my Protein in too.

Curious question... not even sure that it's related, but how much milk do you drink?

Lottie · July 2, 2009

I experienced the same thing in my 3 and 4 month. I was so upset to see my hair thinning. I also got my Protein in and took Biotin for about 3 months. My hair is now longer and thicker than it was before the hair thinning. It must be related to the surgery but trust me your hair will thicken up and get longer. I'm living proof. Although I can't answer why it happen, I promise you, my hair is thick and longer like it was prior to my surgery.

catho72 · July 2, 2009

I started losing my hair at 3 months post op. It was scary...I was getting clumps of hair on my hands when I shampooed, put product in and combing/brushing. It has slowed since (I'm 5 months post op) but I'm still losing some. I've lost about 35% of my hair. I'm taking my Multivitamin and Biotin daily and also started using a Shampoo formulated for weak hair. My hair stylist said she can really tell I've lost hair on the back of my head but I can tell in my part...it's much wider than it's ever been. My friends say they don't notice a difference in my hair but I sure can tell. When I mentioned it to my doctor, he said, "At least yours will grow back!" and pointed to his balding head. This wasn't the answer I was looking for....:redface:

Rutiglius · July 2, 2009

I lost hair about 2 years ago when I dieted. I was taking Meridia (diet rx drug) and lost the weight pretty quickly. I increased my Protein, but still lost a huge amount of hair! My stylist recommended Nioxin Shampoo and conditioner, and it does work! My PCP also told me to increase my fat intake to about 20% (I was only getting about 10% of my calories from fat). My hair grew back -- but unfortunately, so did my butt (because I stopped "dieting").

My info packet said the Hair loss is fairly common with WLS, and to make sure to get plenty of Protein -- but it looks like everyone is doing that!

nwlife4 · July 2, 2009

Hey everyone besides of course listening to your doctor and doing what he suggests you can also visit a barber (a barber college would be best around here $5.00 a visit) and get what is called High frequency treatment. This procedure does not hurt. Another thing to do is every day have your spouse/ sig other/ massage your scalp. The H/F treatment does work in all the cases I've had- If you have a pace maker you will not be able to have the treatments though.

sillygrilly · July 2, 2009

Ok so this post has totally freaked me out!! I have extremely thin hair to start with and I had the surgery almost 2 months ago. Any Hair loss would be devastating. I had my first fill yesterday. What is Biotin?

Noni18 · July 2, 2009

Okay, I've never posted before, because I didn't feel I had much to add, but I guess I have some info on this one.

At about 4-5 months post-op, I was having pretty significant hair loss, which was noted at one of my checkups. My surgeon told me that this is much more common in bypass patients and only happens to a small percentage of lapband people. Not much is definitely known about it, but it appears to be related to how your body reacts to extreme stress (the stress of the surgery, the stress of the very limited calorie intake for a few weeks after the surgery). Your body thinks you are in danger and switches off non-essential functions, and apparently, hair is, on the primitive level, not essential. So it turns off the making of new hair and stops "wasting" nutrients on growing the old hair...so after a period of 3-6 months, your hair starts looking pretty darn thin. There isn't much you can do about it at that point.

The good news is, your body is now getting plenty of nutrients, and new hair will start coming in. It's supposedly not permanent, and by the end of a year, it will be back to normal.

There seems to be some indication that taking a zinc supplement in the weeks immediately before and following your surgery may prevent this from happening, but by the time you notice Hair loss it's really too late. So, if you haven't had surgery yet, it might be worth taking the supplement. For the rest of us...well, I guess we have to be patient. Mine appears to be slowly filling in again (I'm about 8 months post surgery now, and have lost 85 pounds total).

Good luck, and try not to let it get you down. It won't be permanent!

EmmaWang · July 2, 2009

I experienced the same thing in my 3 and 4 month. I was so upset to see my hair thinning. I also got my Protein in and took Biotin for about 3 months. My hair is now longer and thicker than it was before the hair thinning. It must be related to the surgery but trust me your hair will thicken up and get longer. I'm living proof. Although I can't answer why it happen, I promise you, my hair is thick and longer like it was prior to my surgery.

Congrats on your weight loss and thicker hair. How long did your Hair loss last? Mine has been going on for over one month. It's so hard to see countless hair falls off when I take a shower, running fingers through the hair or brushing it.

Edited July 2, 2009 by EmmaWang

EmmaWang · July 2, 2009

Ok so this post has totally freaked me out!! I have extremely thin hair to start with and I had the surgery almost 2 months ago. Any Hair loss would be devastating. I had my first fill yesterday. What is Biotin?

Biotin is one of the Vitamins. You could get it from Wal-mart or any supermarkets. Not everyone who had the surgery would experience the hair loss problem. Don't panic cauze it might not happen to you.

sandyswhisper · July 30, 2009

I have read, and know from experience, that hair loss can be a result of hormonal changes (ie: on/off birth control pills, body changes post op).

7 months prior to surgery I stopped taking birth control pills. I had Hair loss for 5 months...very freaky! It had finally stopped, I had a couple months off...I'm now 3 months post op, and it's falling out again. My hair dresser had told me prior to surgery that she could see new growth...so, there is hope!

Strange part for me post op is that I have not lost a lot of weight (13 pounds) so it's not as if my weight loss is SHOCKING my system!! LOL

Hang in there...this too shall pass!