Hair falling out

Don't panic, I'm not going bald... but I have noticed an increasing amount of hair in the bath after I have taken a shower in the morning. At first, I thought I must just be imagining things, so I decided to just keep an eye on it for a while. But a couple of weeks on, now I am sure. I did a Google search and found quite a lot of stuff about hair loss in relation to dieting and weight loss. However, there was mixed information. In general, the web sites I looked at suggested that the hair loss is a temporary effect of weight loss, and in some cases, relates to a deficiency of certain minerals. Most commonly, lack of vitamin B, B12 and zinc were cited. Other sites said a lack of water was to blame and others said hair loss was common on low fat diets.

Anxious to get some more definite information, I telephoned my dietician when I got home from work today. He said that some hair loss occurs in about 40% of gastric band patients and is only a short term phenomenon. He assured me that I won't go bald (which was a relief)!! He said it commonly occurs about three months or so into the weight loss process - which is about where I am at now. He also said that it can sometimes indicate a slight lack of vitamin B and folic acids. Now, both these are included in the daily multivitamin that I have. However, he said that if I was worried about it I could get a vitamin B supplement as well. I don't think I will bother with an extra supplement, but I will make extra sure that I take my daily vitamins - I do sometimes forget.

While reading about hair loss on the web, I also came across quite a bit of information about other side effects of weight loss - including dry and flaky skin - something I am definitely suffering from. I apply E45 cream all over every morning and have started to use Bio Oil on the stretch marks on my tummy and under my chin (which is starting to get wrinkly - awful!).

So, the only problem I have now is to try and find the 'sucker' thing for the bath so I can get the water flowing down the plug hole a bit better than it has been doing! I do have very thick hair anyway, so losing a bit of it seems to clogging up the outflow in the bath...