Hair loss

Hi all...

my hair loss was shocking, and started just after the surgery (I had such low iron I had ot have an infusion whilst in hospital, and that is also a factor for hair loss... meh)

it IS growing back, but I still loose lavish amounts of it and still have the furry animal plughole.

it is something called telogen effluvium. For some, just the naesthetic and surgery is enough, the protein/supplements make little difference (when it comes to stopping it occurring at all...)

my research led me to believe that supplements and keeping up protein etc is the best thing you can do to make sure it grows back quickly! Here are the methods i found out about (some already mentioned)

1) Selenium supplements (beware that a higher concentration of selenium is toxic, so ESPECIALLY if your multi etc has it, give it a miss after your hair is recovering, this is why I took it for the first 9 months only)
2) Many have had success with the fusion hair tonic capsules
3)Keep up your vitamins - especially iron/multi
4)Head massage - when you wash it, take the time to give your scalp a good rub, to encourage blood flow, and the new growth.
5)I also had luck with the nioxin range of shampoo/conditioner/leave in mousse. (this seemed to turn the corner for me - whether it really helps a lot or it was just the timing - if nothing else, the mouse stuff makes it seem much less thin)

apparently the mechanical action of loosing a hair is a bit like a tooth - the new hair growing helps to push it out, if there is a small 'bulb' shape at the end then that proves that the hair had gone dormant prior to falling out. (telogen effluvium is essentially just a LOT of your hair all going dormant as a result of the stress all at once - guess what, average dormancy - three months - funny that??)

I still struggle with the change in my hair, as I considered it the only pretty part of me. Hence the over-analysis, and over-reading displayed above. Some lucky lucky people manage to evade too much loss or loose for only a few months - I am a year out, and I have a lot of wispy re-growth, yet still loosing quite a bit.

good luck ladies!

When I googled hair loss I found an article that said that losing weight quickly can also make you lose your hair, so the op, the low amount of protein & losing weight quickly kind of make it seem like it was inevitable. Worse luck.

I've bought the Swiss formula but it doesn't have any selenium in it. Does this mean it will be effective? Too much conflicting info. On the upside, the Swiss liquid is pretty nice.

I went to the chemist & health food shop on the weekend to look for items that could be good for hair loss - one was from Swisse. It was a litre bottle of hair, nails and skin growth solution that you have 10mls a day. Looked ok - but also liked the idea of  a silicon based gel from the health food store that you have also  each day for strengthening hair, nails & skin.

Probably will go with the Swiss formula I think. Good it was liquid

Bern doing some research on the hair loss post bariatric surgery. Basically comes down to protein. If you get in you protein each day (& top up with protein powder in shakes & on breaky cereal etc, this will help any oral vitamin supplements such as the Swisse formula 

Cheers Jo

Hi all, I started losing my hair probably 2 months post op. I bought some tablets which were packaged at the time and I just can't get them down. I even cut them into quarters and they are still too big. How big are the fusion tablets? What brand were the selenium tabs referred to?

 
I'm loosing my hair too......I'm kinda glad to read about it hear, although I'd prefer it not to be happening at all.
I noticed my hair loss in the last few weeks. I'm almost 6 months post op. I thought I was going mad, as I could see and feel my hair getting thinner but my boyfriend insisted it isn't.

Other than Selenium 150 and Fushion hair capsules, has anyone tried anything else they can recommend?

Hi, I am 6months post surgery and like most people I got hair loss from about 3 month mark. When I started to get worried I spoke to my surgeon who told me to take selenium 150 max. After a few weeks I noticed hair loss slowing down and then by the time I finished the bottle my hair loss had stopped.  
Hope if you try it you get the results I did!

GG, you are awesome-r!! I feel fabulous, got energy out the butt!! So to speak!

Not too sure about the hair loss, I've always been able to pull out a decent amount of strands when I run my fingers through my hair.. does feel a bit different now though, not as soft as before. I'm anticipating losing a massive amount of it, haven't been able to get in anywhere near the amount of protein/calories I need to..

Hey Lizzy!

I know. Big shock, huh? Unfortunately now a balding lesbian.

Lady, you are doing awesome! Look at those numbers! 

You feeling good? Any hair loss?



GG

GG.. what.. you're a lesbian??

Where is the fainting with shock emoticon thingy? And the running away, blowing raspberries one?   

Hi Ladies

I was sleeved around the same time as you guys and my hair started to fall out
in October by the handful.  My hair was very thick and now it is thin but i have had
some success with the Fushion - Hair capsules.

At one stage there i had a small furry animal sitting in the plug hole when i had a shower
and now i loose very little hair at all.

The capsules were not cheap and you have to take 4 a day but they dont have any after taste which is brilliant.  I purchased them from a health food store.

I have lost around 38 kilos and am going to see my surgeon on the 31st January, 2014 for a check up and to find out how i stop loosing.

I know that sounds crazy but i have not had any stalls and am loosing at least 1 kilo every week and am really happy with where im at at the moment.

If i loose to much more its really going to make me look haggard and i dont want that?

I love reading everyone elses great success stories - we are all doing a great job and the support on here has been amazing.

Hope everyone had a merry christmas and a great 2014.

Cheers
Lee

Drats!

I thought I had gotten away without the whole hair loss thing but 5 months out and all of a sudden the other half started fluffing my hair up a couple of nights ago  and then looked at me and said "uhoh". 

Bugger, bugger, bugger!

I have my hair quite short (it's the raving lesbian in me!) but it's noticeably thinner and when I wake up in the morning and it's all smushed down, it reveals some little scalpy bits through the hair.

Oh well. I know I still don't eat enough - don't really have an appetite any more - and I do try and have good lean protein and salad at both lunch and dinner but I'm sure I'm not getting enough nutrients. Might go to the Barber tomorrow (I told you I was a lesbian, right?), have a trim and then pop down to the chemist and get some hair and nail supplements and see what happens.

Poop!

Can't be too unhappy - everything else is going really well. I hit my goal of being in the 80s by Christmas and I reckon tomorrow morning's weekly weigh-in will tell me that I've hit the 30 kilo loss - woohoo! - so shouldn't complain but, short-haired lesbian or not, a girl's hair is her pride and joy and I'm a bit teary over this development...

OMG I cant wait for my hair loss to stop!!!

I was sleeved 9 August 2013 and hair loss started probably in September and I feel like it is only getting worse not better! :(

Mine stared at three months out but stopped at the twelve month mark which I find bizarre as I have continued to have surgery after surgery with some of my most traumatic coming after that point with little change in my nutrition from months 8 to now (month 15) which has been primarily based on feeding tube nutrition so really should have been pretty comprehensive nutrition.. I'm just grateful it stopped! One good thing to finally happen!

Wenchie......you so have the right idea!! Good on you!!

Xxx

Mine got really bad at around the 6 month mark and ended up cutting my hair short. So many people didn't want me to cut my hair but I absolutely love it and now everyone is commenting on how amazing I look. Maybe my hair fell out for a reason to make me change my style. 9 months out and it is a bit better but still dropping out. I no longer have protein shakes (over them) but I noticed before Xmas when I was making a conscious effort to eat more protein it did get better. Over Xmas I have been slack with protein intake and seem to be having a bit more drop out at the moment. I am back on track as of yesterday so should see some respite.

I'm 2 months out, waiting for the loss to start, so I did a pre-emptive strike and got it cut to look like Pink. Love it!

Yes it is different for individuals but mine has definitely slowed 7 mths out I never got the near bald look just much thinner I did cut my hair and it helped not short just several centimeters to help with the strain.  Took the vitamins for hair and nails but I don't know if it made a difference but can't hurt I suppose. I have had other ops in the past and didn't really see any difference back then but I don't think they went for as long and my diet didn't change like it does after this op my research has shown they just sort of guess at why it happens many theories but I don't think any real research but your lucky with thick hair I doubt people will notice.  BTW mine started at the same time as yours.

I know a number of you have mentioned hair loss, I suppose I'm looking for confirmation that it's in the realms of normal, lol, I am about 4 and a half months out, and have just started experiencing hair loss, i have a lot of hair so can afford to lose some  so to speak but am still horrified every time I wash, brush or put my fingers through, coming away with a decent amount every time. It does stop doesn't it??