Hair Loss After Gastric Bypass

For many women, the risk of loss of hair around the post-gastric tube is a major risk to consider. After gastric bypass, the stomach size is reduced significantly and the amount of calories consumed each day are limited. Because calories are limited, many patients experience gastric bypass nutritional deficiencies postoperatively. When the body lacks vitamins and nutrients, the body redirects nutrients to vital organs and body parts such as hair follicles may suffer.

Every day, people loose hair and a healthy body stimulates hair follicles to produce new hair to replace lost hair. After surgery, when patients are likely to undernourished (in the sense that they are low in vitamins) 40-50% of hair can be lost.

Hair loss after gastric bypass surgery is usually temporary and the body adapts to a lower calorie intake and balance of vitamins and minerals in the body, hair growth is stimulated and the hair is pushed missing .

To avoid loss of hair, maintaining a healthy level of vitamins and minerals to protect the hair follicles. Vitamin B-12 deficiencies in iron and protein have been associated with weight loss after surgery for hair loss. Your surgeon will discuss with you the available supplements to prevent deficiencies in vitamins and a nutritionist can help you adjust your diet to provide your body with the energy it needs.

Sometimes hair loss is permanent after gastric bypass. If patients do experience hair loss and hair does not return when the body has adapted to the reduced intake of calories, many people are turning to hair transplants to restore their hair.