Hair is important for our well-being. A full head of hair is a sign of health, youthfulness and fertility. Hair loss can be traumatic and, in extreme cases, cause real psychosocial problems. The bad news is that hair loss can occur after weight loss surgery. The good ones is that they’ll grow back! But why do we lose hair at all and can’t we prevent it?
The cause of hair loss
The type of hair loss that occurs after weight loss surgery has a name: telogen effluvium. In the hair growth cycle, ‘telogen’ is the resting phase of growth, and ‘effluvium’ simply means ‘increased hair loss’. The main symptom of this hair loss is the absence of scarring on the scalp.
The growth phase of a hair lasts about 3 – 7 years. This phase is referred to as ‘anagen’. About 90% of hair is in this phase at any given time. This is followed by a transitional phase (‘catagen’), which lasts about three weeks. Approximately 5-15% of the hairs are in this stage at any given time. The resting phase, or ‘telogen’, comes at the end, during which the hair rests for two to four months and is then shed. This is normally about 100 hairs per day. These periods, but also the amount of normal hair loss, can vary considerably.
There can be many reasons for increased hair loss:
- severe infectious diseases with high fever (malaria)
- major blood losses
- severe injuries
- major surgeries
- prolonged and intense emotional stress
- heavy metal poisoning
- allergies
- pregnancy
- certain medications (chemotherapy)
- various hormonal disorders
- Fasting or long-term dieting with low calorie intake and a lack of protein
Many of the possible causes mentioned above apply to patients who have undergone bariatric surgery. In addition to the causes marked in bold, hormonal imbalances (fluctuations), stress and the surgery itself can also be counted among them.
What can you do about hair loss?
First things first: relax! A loss of 5-15% of hair after a surgery is not unusual and the hair will grow back after about 6 months. In some cases, it may be more hair that falls out. The following measures can help to reduce hair loss and allow the new hair to grow quickly:
Make sure you get enough protein!
Even if it’s difficult: protein intake is the key to a quick normalisation. The daily requirement of protein is about 0.8 grams per kilogram of normal weight. As a rule of thumb, bariatric surgeons actually always recommend 60 grams of protein per day, regardless of your ideal weight. Since only a small amount of food can be eaten at the beginning after the surgery, this amount of protein cannot be obtained from normal food. Hence the protein powder. But there are also other sources of protein. However, not every source of protein is equally well digested, so that by taking in proteins through food, the recommended amount of protein can be increased to up to 2 grams per day. Side effects are not to be expected.
Special vitamins
The special vitamins created for those who have had surgery contain many different vitamins and micronutrients in adjusted dosages. They are better tailored to the needs after surgery than the standard vitamins from the supermarket. Important here are the B vitamins, folic acid, zinc and biotin. And don’t forget calcium citrate and vitamin D!
However, you should avoid taking too much vitamin A and zinc!
Iron
If iron deficiency is detected during follow-up examinations, iron replacement should be carried out in consultation with the treating physicians.
Omega-3 fatty acids
Several times a week, e.g. sea fish with omega-3 fatty acids or fish oil as a supplement to food.
Even if you do all of the above, you may still lose a few hairs. Being prepared before the surgery can help you. Don’t worry: your hair will grow back!
If the hair loss lasts significantly longer than 6 months, you should talk to your physician about it. If necessary, possible causes other than the weight-loss surgery must be clarified.
