Why Does People's Hair Thin Out After Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass Surgery?
Most people experience some degree of hair loss after laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. Hair loss typically begins about three months after surgery and lasts for three or four months. Then the hair begins to regrow.
Reaction to General Anesthesia
General anesthesia commonly causes hair loss after any type of surgery, not just laparoscopic gastric bypass. This reaction is known as telogen effluvium, when some kind of stress causes your hair roots to be pushed prematurely into a resting state.
Very Low Calorie Diet
A very low-calorie diet often causes hair loss. Immediately after gastric bypass surgery, patients eat very small amounts of food. Caloric intake increases after a few months, though, and hair will regrow.
Protein Deficiency
Gastric bypass patients sometimes have trouble getting enough protein, especially in the first few weeks after surgery, because they are on such a limited diet. Lack of protein contributes to hair loss.
Vitamin Deficiency
Excessive hair loss sometimes occurs if patients fail to get enough of certain vitamins, particularly key B vitamins like biotin. These deficiencies sometimes occur after gastric bypass surgery because of malabsorption and because the patient can eat only limited amounts of food.
Preventing Hair Loss
Gastric bypass patients frequently want to know prevent hair loss. The amount of hair lost may be reduced if the patient takes the recommended vitamins and eats sufficient amounts of protein, but it is impossible to prevent all hair loss.
Tags: hair loss, after gastric, after gastric bypass, After Laparoscopic, after surgery, amounts food, bypass patients