Losing weight is a huge accomplishment, and anyone who has taken this journey knows it can be a tough road. When the pounds finally start coming off, it can feel amazing, and your health improves your energy rises, and you feel proud of how far you have come. Even with all the good changes, sometimes there are a few surprises or side effects that are unexpected and frustrating, one of which is hair loss.
If you recently had bariatric surgery and are seeing more strands of hair in your brush or in the shower drain, you are definitely not alone. A lot of people experience hair loss after gastric sleeve surgery or other types of weight loss surgery because of how rapidly the weight tends to come off after these procedures.
The good news is that hair loss after gastric sleeve surgery is usually not permanent, but it can still be very stressful if it starts happening to you. Today we will talk a bit about why this kind of hair loss happens and what you can do to help your hair grow back stronger and healthier.
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What Causes Hair Loss After Bariatric Surgery?
Hair loss after bariatric surgery is often caused by a condition called telogen effluvium. This is a temporary form of hair shedding that can happen when your body goes through something physically or emotionally stressful. Events like surgery, an illness, big changes in your diet, nutritional deficiencies, or rapid weight loss can all be the underlying cause of hair loss.
Hair Grows In Three Main Stages
Many people do not know this, but all of your hair does not grow at the same time, and it goes through different phases. The follicles on your scalp that your hair grows from take turns going through these different phases, and they are not all experiencing the same phase at the same time. These phases include:
- The anagen phase is the active growth stage when your hair is growing and can last for years.
- The catagen phase is a short two-week period when the hair stops growing and the follicle takes a rest.
- The telogen phase is the shedding stage, and new hairs begin to grow underneath, which pushes out the older ones. This phase can last around two or three months, and losing up to 100 hairs a day can be normal during this phase.
Why Weight Loss and Hair Loss Go Hand in Hand
When someone loses weight very quickly, it can cause stress in the body that affects more than just the number on the scale. This stress can move a larger number of hair follicles than normal into the telogen stage at the same time, which would result in excess shedding.
People who experience hair loss after gastric sleeve surgery normally notice it starting a few months after the process begins, and it can last for up to six months. It is most common after major surgery or bariatric surgery that results in fast and significant weight loss. Many individuals are choosing non-surgical endoscopic weight loss procedures because they offer substantial results with fewer risks and very rarely cause hair loss.
Top 4 Reasons For Hair Loss After Gastric Sleeve
Rapid weight loss
Losing a large amount of weight quickly sends your body into a kind of shock, and the built-in survival mode kicks in. Your body begins to focus on only the most important tasks, like making sure your heart is pumping and supplying oxygen to all the places it needs to go, and not on growing hair or other secondary issues.
Nutrient deficiencies
Many individuals experience hair loss after bariatric surgery due to their lower absorption of nutrients because of the changes made to their digestive system. Your body might not be able to absorb the vitamins and minerals like protein, iron, zinc, and biotin that it needs to grow thick, healthy hair.
Hormonal changes
Losing a large amount of weight can make changes to your hormone balance and affect how your metabolism works, which may interfere with your normal hair growth cycle.
Stress on the body
Your body is designed to be very efficient, and it will save energy in times of stress for more vital processes. It will put things like hair growth on pause until it feels like things have come back into their proper balance.
Can Deficiencies Trigger Hair Loss?
Yes, and if you find you are dealing with hair loss after gastric sleeve surgery, it might be due to low levels of certain nutrients. Some common deficiencies that lead to excess hair shedding include:
- Iron
- Biotin (Vitamin B7)
- Zinc
- Vitamin D
- Protein
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What Can You Do To Minimize Hair Loss After Bariatric Surgery?
Some shedding is normal and almost unavoidable, but there are some steps you can take to help mitigate hair loss and help your hair grow back faster.
Steps You Can Take to Reduce Hair Shedding
- Concentrate on losing weight at a gradual pace, meaning between 1 and 3 lbs per week. This gives your body more time to adjust to changes and lowers the chance of experiencing significant hair loss after bariatric surgery.
- Make sure your meals are rich in protein since your hair is mostly made of keratin, which is a type of protein. It is important to eat foods like lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, and beans to help provide your body with what it needs to grow healthy hair.
- Also, get enough iron because it affects the blood flow and oxygen delivery to your hair follicles, as well as zinc and biotin, which help strengthen your hair and promote its growth.
- Include healthy fats in your meals, especially those that contain omega-3s because they help nourish your scalp and hair.
- Take any supplements recommended by your doctor, especially after gastric sleeve surgery, when it may be harder to absorb nutrients from food alone. A multivitamin or specific targeted supplements like biotin and collagen are usually beneficial. Your doctor can test your levels of iron, vitamin D, zinc, and other nutrients to see exactly what you need.
- Be extra gentle with your hair while it is shedding and avoid tight ponytails, harsh chemical treatments, and hot tools when possible. Use a mild shampoo and conditioner, free from sulfates and parabens, that are designed for thinning or fragile hair.
- Find healthy ways to manage your level of stress, because high levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) can make shedding worse. Daily walks, deep breathing, or activities you enjoy can help keep your stress under control.
- Be patient and trust the process because losing hair after gastric sleeve surgery is usually temporary, and as your body recovers and adapts, your hair growth cycle should return to normal. This process can sometimes take a year, but if you are experiencing hair loss due to gastric sleeve surgery, it should only be temporary.
What If My Hair Loss After Gastric Sleeve Is Not Improving?
If your hair loss issues go on for more than a year, you should seek assistance from your doctor to find out what is going on. It is possible that your hair loss is caused by not getting the nutrients your body needs, so the best thing to do is work with your doctor. They can help figure out which vitamins or minerals you are low on and guide you on how to bring your nutrition back to a healthy level. This may include changes to your diet, drinking more water, or adding certain types of supplements.
Can Someone Help Me Lose Weight Without Experiencing Hair Loss?
Losing weight more slowly usually helps your body adjust without putting your hair through so much stress. Dr. Batash and his team at Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center can create a customized plan to help you lose weight at a safe rate so you can improve your health with minimal side effects.
Dr. Batash only offers non-surgical options for weight loss, including non-surgical options like Suture Sculpt endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), which causes the weight to come off gradually, so most patients do not experience much hair loss. This procedure does not involve cutting or removing any portion of your stomach, so your body can adjust at a healthier pace and your nutrient absorption stays stable.
If you have struggled with your weight and are finally ready to see real results, the team at Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center is ready to help. They can help you make gradual lifestyle changes and offer nutritional support, medications, or endoscopic procedures to help you lose weight in a steady, healthy way, so your body and your hair can adjust without unnecessary stress. Set up a consultation to learn more!
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