Has anyone experienced hair loss after an ostomy?

Oh, dear. Are you restored now?

My situation was different in that I went in to have appendix removed.... and wound up right before discharge septic--toxic and required 5 consecutive days of surgery to 'clean me out' and they had to perform ileostomy or I "would die" I survived at least 3 cardiac arrests ( pulmonary doctor told me more than that) one of which I was under (being resusitated for 10 minutes & husband was called to see if they should continue resusitation in middle of the night, thankfully he said yes!) There is more to this story but belongs in another discussion subject I think. Anyway I do believe God brought me through it all. Catelynn

YES I absolutely experienced hair loss -- esp. after the surgery, it was as if I had chemo.... And for years after surgery! Catelynn

That is a relief--thanks for sharing. My only concern is that I am having hip surgery with more anesthesia in early September. Hopefully, my poor hair won't take another hit. My plan is to live at least to 100--18 more years, and I really would like hair throughout. Fingers crossed. I didn't go to rehab, but was in the hospital for 2 weeks--terrible situation, but I have recouped well. Hope you have many more years with your curly hair! Bette

Yes, I lost nearly all my hair by the time I returned home from rehab. I was told it was the trauma from the surgery.
I took a biotin supplement daily for a couple of months. It took about 6 months before my hair was grown back enough to look ok. Now, 15 months after, I have a full head of hair with curls that I didn’t have before.

Yes I did lose a lot of hair which eventually stopped. I also lost all of my curl. I used to just wash and scrunch now it takes more effort and i wear it a lot shorter

Hooray! There is hope! I have started to use a special shampoo and conditioner with Biotin, and I will now order some vitamins. Since I will be getting anesthesia again with my hip surgery in a month, better safe than sorry!

Thanks so much, I am very hopeful. It will be wonderful to have less pain. You are so right. I am humbled by the courage shown by our fellow contributors. My situation, major as it sometimes seems to me, pales in comparison.

All the best with your hip replacement surgery and recovery. I should add that my hair did stop falling out after some months and I have been taking a hair skin and nails supplement all along. I don’t seem to be growing much new hair though. My dermatologist recommended nutafol but it’s very pricy. I think that my limited diet since surgery is a big contributing factor as well as effects from the surgery trauma and anesthesia (4 hours). Unlike some who are able to eat most things I’m limited by gluten and lactose sensitivity, ibs in addition to raw fruits and veg that I stay away from due to blockage concerns. My diet before surgery and most of my life was rich in healthy foods and almost no processed foods or sugar. I just started taking a powdered Greens drink (AG1) that I got at Costco, since I could return if I didn’t do well on it. So far so good so I’m hoping that will provide more nutrients. None of this is easy but as I read other journeys here, I have a lot to be grateful for. Please let us know how your hip surgery goes.

I also lost a lot of hair after my colostomy. Definitely from the shock to my system from such an awful illness and recovery. I think part of it was, I was too ill to take my vitamins and biotin. After my reversal and that recovery, it took a few months but now my hair is much better. Oddly, my stick straight hair has a curl to it now. My skin was affected too. It felt and looked awful. I knew I was better when it began to look more “normal”.