You Lose Your Hair for Real??

OMG--I just read "and right on schedule" and I am in a PANIC!!   Do you really lose your hair with this surgery?  I thought that was all a myth!!!  OMG-- does this happen to everyone or how do I avoid this from happening??

Yes, it happens to almost everyone.  How MUCH hair you lose varies a LOT, though... Some lose very little and some lose enough that they use wigs for a while. It is called telogen effluvium, and there really isn't anything you can do to avoid it.  Getting in all your protein and vitamins will keep it from being WORSE than it otherwise would be, and taking Biotin might help with regrowth, but basically you just have to do the best you can to keep it trimmed (or cut it) in such a way that it hides the loss. Most people say the loss isn't bad enough to be noticeable to others or is only mildly noticeable. Most people find that it all grows back, though.

I lost fully half of my hair from months 4-9, and it was quite obvious.

Lora

****ro is right on the money. For the most part most of us lose hair to varying degrees. Both from lack of protein and from the anesthesia. My pillow looked like a pillow pet from month 5-7. I have really thick hair so I loved the thinning and wi**** wouldn't have grown back. I had little hair sprouts as it grew back so went with a short spiky hair cut during that time,. My hair stylist was the only one who noticed it other than me though. Another important reason to get in your protein!!

I am 7 months out, starting loosing around 5 months, it is still coming out.  I got it cut shorter so it isn't that bad, I started with thick hair, now its thin. 

Oh yes, I was so hoping not to -- but I lost a TON of my very long hair....so that means it's going to be thin for quite a while until the length catches up.  I was so happy to realize when it finally did stop falling out.  My hair is definitely coming back in now, and it's very nice and healthy (no doubt to all the protein and vitamins).  My hair was my best asset before...but since I no longer have to hide behind it, it's just nice hair now.  I totally understand your feeling but it's really and truly worth even this!  Hang in there, and good luck to you!

No, it does not happen to everyone, but it did happen to me and at 6 months my loss has slowed and baby hairs are popping up. Mine was so bad I ad people asking me where I was having cancer treatments! I got handfuls of hair at points and it was awful. I cut a lot of my hair off and in a way that helps hide the loss. But this surgery was still worth it in my book!

So what I'm hearing is that you lose your hair but eventually it comes back?  It is not permanent?  I've had several surgeries in m life and never noticed any hair loss from anesthesia -- so at least I have that going for me...

I've never lost it from anesthesia either so I think it had more to do with lack of protein for me.

It's a crapshoot - it didn't seem like I lost much to be honest, but I have good hair and lots of it ...   To be honest, I've lost more through menopause than I ever did after surgeries!    Oh, and I've never had a protein shake or bar - did the 30/60/90 regime with food.

I don't think it's worth worrying about until it happens, because you might be lucky enough not to even notice it.

I have had a dozen surgeries other than my RNY, including a couple of major ones, and never lost any hair from any of them, either, but lost half my hair after RNY, so it is definitely NOT just a function of general anesthesia.

Lora