Dealing with Hair Loss after Weight Loss Surgery

Hair loss. It is one of the most common side effects after weight loss surgery. It is also one of the things that causes people anxiety about having the procedure. Many people even decide not to have the surgery out of fear or losing hair. It is important to understand why hair loss happens for bariatric patients and things you can do to make the process less stressful.

Hair loss usually occurs around 3-6 months post-op. The hair loss associated with weight loss surgery is called telogen effluvium and has to do with the normal hair growth. When there is stress or hormonal changes to the body, it affects how quickly we shed and regrow new hair. Sometimes this means that we do not regrow new hair after we shed the old hair. The important thing to remember is that your hair will finally catch up. It’s important to be prepared for this after weight loss surgery so it isn’t too much of a shock when you shed hair.

There are a few things you can do to help ease the stress from the hair loss

• Take Biotin! This will help strengthen the new hair that is growing back in after you shed the old hair.
• Relax and don’t worry. It is normal that you are experiencing this and it will get better.
• Make sure you are following the guidelines that your surgeon gave you, especially when it comes to your protein intake.
• Take your multivitamin! It is critical that you don’t get deficient in vitamins.

Remember that it is only temporary. If you are nervous about hair loss, know that the pros outweigh this con and it shouldn’t be something that prevents you from living a healthier life. YOU GOT THIS!