If you’ve noticed more hair in your brush or shower drain a few months after bariatric surgery, you are not alone. Hair loss is one of the most common – and understandably frustrating – side effects patients experience in the early months after bariatric surgery.
The good news? It’s temporary, normal, and a sign that your body is healing. Let’s talk about why it happens, when it usually starts, and what you can do to help your hair grow back healthy and strong.
Understanding Hair Loss After Bariatric Surgery: Why It Happens & How to Support Regrowth
Hair loss after weight loss surgery is almost always caused by a combination of stress on the body and nutritional changes.
1. Telogen Effluvium (Stress-Related Hair Loss)
After bariatric surgery, your body undergoes significant physical and emotional stress. This stress can cause a condition called telogen effluvium, where a large number of hair follicles enter a “resting” phase.
Normally, only about 10-15% of your hair is in this resting phase, but after surgery that number can increase to 30–45%. A few months later, those hairs fall out at once – which is why many patients notice increased shedding around three to six months post-op.
It can feel alarming, but this type of hair loss is temporary. The follicles are still alive and capable of growing new hair once your body stabilizes.
2. Nutrient Deficiencies
The second reason hair loss occurs after surgery is nutritional. Because your stomach is smaller and your food intake is limited, it can be challenging to get all the nutrients your body needs for healthy hair growth.
Hair follicles are incredibly sensitive to changes in nutrition – when your body senses a deficit, it prioritizes vital organs like your heart and brain over your hair and nails.
The nutrients most often linked to post-surgery hair loss include:
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- Protein: Hair is made of keratin, a type of protein. Low protein intake can weaken strands and increase shedding. Learn about your post-op protein needs here.
- Iron: Low ferritin (iron stores) is one of the most common nutrient-related causes of hair loss.
- Zinc and Copper: Both play key roles in cell repair and hair follicle function.
- Biotin, B12, and Folate: These support cell turnover and keratin production.
- Vitamin D: Helps regulate the hair growth cycle.
When to Expect It and How Long It Lasts
Hair loss typically begins between 3 to 6 months after surgery, peaking around month 4 or 5. The shedding usually lasts a few months and gradually slows as your body adjusts and your nutrition improves; this is usually around the 8th month after your surgery.
By the one-year mark, most patients report that shedding has stopped and regrowth is well underway. You may even notice soft “baby hairs” along your hairline as things start to recover.
What You Can Do to Help
While you can’t always prevent the initial shedding, you can reduce its severity and support healthy regrowth. Here’s how:
1. Prioritize Protein Every Day
Protein is the cornerstone of recovery and hair health.
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- Aim for 60–100 grams of protein per day.
- Choose high-quality sources: eggs, lean meats, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu/tempeh, beans, or protein shakes.
- Spread your protein intake throughout the day for better absorption. Talk to your dietitian about what your eating pattern should look like at your stage of post op.
2. Take Your Bariatric Vitamins Faithfully
This is one of the most important habits after surgery.
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- Use a bariatric-specific multivitamin, not an over-the-counter brand, to ensure proper dosing and absorption.
- It should include iron, zinc, copper, B12, folate, and vitamin D.
- If you take calcium, make sure to space it out from iron supplements so they don’t interfere with each other. *at least 2 hours apart.
3. Keep Up With Routine Lab Work
We will check your labs at 6 months and 12 months post-op in the first year and annually after that.
Ferritin, zinc, copper, vitamin D, and B12 are all essential for healthy hair and are levels that we check at all routine labs. Replenishing deficiencies can make a big difference.
4. Be Gentle With Your Hair
Avoid tight ponytails, harsh brushing, or heat styling while your hair is shedding.
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- Use a wide-tooth comb and a mild, sulfate-free shampoo.
- Focus on scalp health — regular gentle massage can help stimulate blood flow to the follicles. Ingredients such as biotin, rosemary oil, and caffeine are known to be great for scalp health.
- If you color your hair, consider taking a break from harsh chemical treatments until regrowth is stronger.
5. Be Patient and Kind to Yours
Hair loss can be frustrating, especially after all the positive changes you’re making. Remember: your body is healing and rebalancing. Once your nutrition stabilizes, your hair will catch up.
Optional Supplements to Discuss With Your Provider
There’s no magic pill for preventing hair loss, but certain supplements may help once your basics are covered:
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- Collagen peptides: Support the structural proteins that make up hair. We love Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides.
- Biotin: Only if your levels are low — extra biotin won’t help if you’re not deficient.
- Zinc: Can help, but too much can cause copper deficiency, so dosing matters.
Always talk to your bariatric team before starting anything new. More is not always better when it comes to supplements.
The Takeaway
Hair loss after bariatric surgery can feel discouraging, but it’s usually temporary, manageable, and reversible. It’s a reflection of your body’s healing process, not a sign that you’re doing something wrong.
Focus on consistency: protein at every meal, daily vitamins, regular lab checks, and gentle care. Most importantly, give yourself grace – your body has been through a major transformation and is doing its best to find a new normal.
By the one-year mark, most patients see healthy regrowth and stronger strands returning. Hang in there – this phase will pass, and your confidence (and hair) will grow back.
