Affiliate Link Disclosure: We may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases we've (affiliate) linked to on our site. We only recommend products that we have personally used, are highly recommended and that we are passionate about sharing with our readers.

It’s no secret I had weight loss surgery. I even bragged a little that I only had minimal hair loss. Well, that has changed. At four months post-op, my hair fell out in handfuls, I tried everything to coarse correct (see what I did there) but I’m going to tell you how I Stopped my Hair Loss after Weight Loss Surgery.

Does Everyone Lose Hair after Bariatric Surgery?



No! I’m just lucky, I guess. My Doctors at Cooper Bariatric told me 50% of WLS surgery patients lose hair but the loss isn’t permeant. Hair loss typically starts between 4-6 months post-op.

Mine started falling out once I hit the 4-month post-op milestone. I mean just when I started feeling sexy and healthy again, my hair fell out…whomp whomp. By month five I was getting scared with the clumps of hair coming out in the shower, so I headed to my hairdresser. I chopped my hair to a very short curly bob.

It was traumatic seeing my long, thick, curly hair fall out constantly, so I went for that short and sassy look. As a side note, invest in a hair catcher and hair de-clogger for your shower so you don’t kill your plumbing.

What Causes Hair Loss?

According to Virtua Health, protein intake, stress and hormones all play a role. And being that its hard to get protein goals in post-op, me being always stressed, and my hormones are always out of whack, it’s not surprising my hair abandoned ship.

I went from full Tracee Ellis Ross type hair to very thin curly hair. Losing a lot around the crown, the kitchen, and the temple areas. I have one bald spot but also got a kick ass hat collection, so you know I made lemonade out of lemons.

If I had to guess, I would say I lost about 50% of my hair. I style around the bald spots and rock my new favorite hats to avoid questions from friends.

How I Stopped my Hair Loss

First, can I say I found the hair loss traumatic. My mother died from cancer, losing my hair triggered that memory and rattled my anxiety and depression. So, I had no choice but to get it together.

As always, consult a doctor if you have hair loss to make sure there is nothing else medical going on.

Hair Cut

I cut my hair into a bob length. If you are getting a new do, shorter the better. Because my hair was so thick and full it was weighing down my weak ass hair follicles and pulling my hair out of my head. I wish I had cut my hair when I got the surgery, I believe this would have reduced some of the thinning.

Related posts:

Hairstyle

Make different styling choices. I was the queen of slick backed pony’s and high buns. This put a lot of tension around my kitchen and temple area and my already angry hair follicles were like F it, we give up, and the hair just came out.

Opt for low tension hairstyles such as leaving your hair down, loosely putting it back, or low-tension braids.

Vitamins and Supplements

Public Service Announcement: Take your vitamins and Supplements. For reference, here is what my doctor recommended I take post-op: 2 Flintstone Complete Vitamins, B12/B Complex and Calcium.

I added in 2 dosages of Biotin daily to help jump start the hair growth from where my locks fell out. My hair is growing back very quickly and my nails are thick and beautiful for the first time ever, so more lemonade from those lemons.

Hair Products

I tried out a lot of different shampoos and conditioners. My hair wash routine is typically 1-2 times a week, so I tried/researched each shampoo and conditioner for 2-4 weeks. I won’t go into what products failed me, because they may work for other people. Instead, let’s talk about the one that worked wonders for me. I swear I hear angels sing when I put it on in the shower.

Great with hair loss and regrowth

Finally, I tried the Shampoo and Conditioner for Nexxus Keraphix – Damage Healing/Keratin Protein and Black Rice for Severely Damaged Hair. I noticed a difference after the first wash. So, I went out and bought the giant bottles in bulk. Then threatened my husband to not use my fancy products, like I always do when I spend more than $5 on a product. (yeah I’m not sure why he married me either).

As for styling, I’ve been trying to use very minimal products. My favorite right now is Knot today detangler, and that is all i’ve been using to style my hair.

Brushing

Pre-Op me would put conditioner in and detangle my curls aggressively with a paddle brush in the shower. When my hair began falling out in chunks, I stopped my violent brushing routine.

I switched to the Wet Brush Shower Flex detangling brush. It’s gentle while it detangles and it doesn’t hurt when I’m brushing out the knots.

Sleeping

I sleep with a CPAP and the silicon straps rub back and forth all night pulling at my hair. Pre-Surgery I was very lazy about wrapping my hair at night, I could get away with just using a silk pillow case. Post-Op I started using silk headwraps and headbands before I put on my CPAP. I recommend wrapping your hair even if you don’t have a CPA, especially if you are a restless sleeper.

Nutrition

Try and eat a balanced diet, I know, I know complete cliché. Get your protein goals in. I sneak unflavored Protein Powder into everything to make sure I hit my 80 grams of protein a day. If you’ve had Weight Loss Surgery go to your post-op appointments and get your blood work done to make sure your health is good.

I’ll continue to update everyone on new tips for hair loss. I’d love to hear your tips and tricks in the comments.

Like this: Like Loading...

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases).

All articles are strictly the opinions of the writer based on his or her experiences in life. If you have questions or are unsure of anything regarding your health we strongly advise you to contact a professional for all medical advice.