My hair is destroyed. This is so depressing.

**deecoily** · 08-20-2013, 04:05 AM

Some of you may know, some may not... I had to surgery to repair a broken arm in July and now I have titanium plates and screws in there... but that's not the end of it. I had a general anesthetic of course, and was under for a number of hours. I recovered from the surgery OK, but my hair didn't. It's coming out.

General anesthetic can have a devastating effect on your hair. It shocks the hair follicles and they can stop producing hair. Then they enter a shedding phase and this can go on for months with no growth. The hair you have left sheds, and all the follicles temporarily stop producing.

That is what has happened to me and I got the worst of it. It's shedding out in handfuls. The coils are all gone, the texture is gone, it's just a tangled jungle of unworkable, shedding, messy tangled web of breakage. Impossible to work with and I don't even want to deal with it right now. I still have a lot of hair, and there are no bald patches, but the shedding is extreme and my hair feels dry and dead and lifeless. It is looking thin at the ends and I have lost over 6 inches of length.

So this morning I had my partner (handy that he's a hairdresser) twist it into big sections with the JBCO and now I'm going to cover it up and wait a little while before deciding what to do with it. I know that I need to leave it alone for a long time if I am to save any of it.

If anyone has some words of encouragement or suggestions, or similar experiences and what you did about it, I'd love to hear them about now.

~Dee~

**Venetter** · 08-20-2013, 04:28 AM

Never heard if this before. Just want to send *hugs* your way.

**AStone** · 08-20-2013, 04:29 AM

Just sending you a big hug, I'm sorry this is happening to you and I hope it gets better.

**Phia** · 08-20-2013, 04:40 AM

*sending you big hugs* I'm so sorry this is happening to you. Try not to stress though (I know, easier said than done) because that could only aggravate it. Caring for your hair gently and keeping it covered while it recovers is a great first step. I am confident that if you focus on getting your body back in balance - nutrition, exercise, meditating or worship - that your hair will follow. Maybe you could treat it as a transition and document changes, goals, and phases. I'm sorry I can't be of more help.

**deecoily** · 08-20-2013, 05:25 AM

Yes SaPhia you nailed it. This is my second transition

I have a feeling it's going to be harder than the first one. But I'll get through it. Venetter yes it's a fact that GA does this to the hair. Some people have a worse reaction than others. I didn't know it could be this bad until it happened to me.

I just don't have the head to rock the baldie otherwise I would have shaved it already.

**Ororo** · 08-20-2013, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by deecoily

Yes SaPhia you nailed it. This is my second transition

I have a feeling it's going to be harder than the first one. But I'll get through it. Venetter yes it's a fact that GA does this to the hair. Some people have a worse reaction than others. I didn't know it could be this bad until it happened to me.

I just don't have the head to rock the baldie otherwise I would have shaved it already.

Dee, I'm so sorry this is happening to you.

I was going to suggest that you shave your hair, but you've considered it already. Do it! I thought I didn't have the head shape for it and was constantly feeling my head for lumps and bumps. I finally just did it and loved it! You're gorgeous, and if you want to rock a baldie, then you should.

**swingbolder** · 08-20-2013, 08:44 PM

Big hugs to you Dee, I'm so sorry this has happened. Just to echo what everyone else said, you are an extraordinarily beautiful woman and always will be no matter what your hair looks like. Not to downplay the devastating-ness of losing your hair though, that is traumatic no matter what the circumstances (and I'm glad your arm is healing up).

**KnottyAuthor** · 08-20-2013, 10:10 AM

Oh Dee, I'm SOOOO sorry to hear this!

Ok, for real though, you've done it before. Permanent protective sounds like a very viable option for you. Consider putting your hair in braids again and let it do what it does. Atleast the shed hair can fall into the forming lock. If you dont want it in a year or so, by the time you recover, they wont be too difficult to take down. It seems like you really need to allow your scalp to rest, this IS a lot of trauma and you know that those chemicals will be working there way through for a few months.

Start internal cleansing too! At least 60oz of water a day-warm with lemon in the morning at least. Take some psyllium husk for internal cleansing. Sip green tea after dinner...to rev up your juices and escort those chemicals out of your body. To go real extreme do hot yoga 1/week or month for this 6 mo period for further flushing. Eat lots of fruits and veggies, try to steer away from meats right now. Your skin and your hair will be glowing after this treatment.

ehugs* for a bountiful recovery and happy, healthy hair follicles...ps dont forget to feed them some yummy essential oils and aloe vera juice so when their ready to slide back into that growth phase they are well fed and ready to go for the new round of hair that's about to spring forth!

**Lockolatte** · 08-20-2013, 10:57 AM

Dee, I have heard of this happening to people. The chemicals in the anesthesia are so potent and can cause so much trauma to the body. Exercise and sweat as much as possible to get your circulation going to carry those toxins out. I wonder do you have access to a steam room? I also suggest eating plenty of fish, eggs, spinach, and other colorful veges and fruits. Consider taking some MSM daily also. This sulfur is excellent for joints, hair, skin, and the whole body.

Dee you are a healthy woman, so you will bounce back from this. I'll be thinking about and praying for you.

**Bithiya** · 08-25-2013, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by Lockolatte

...The chemicals in the anesthesia are so potent and can cause so much trauma to the body...I wonder do you have access to a steam room?...

O M G !!!
All this time I'd assumed it was just breakage/matting because you were isolated Down Under and didn't have anyone nearby, to comb your hair for you.
Unfortunately, when I think this through, it's not all that farfetched; I suspect there is enough molecular similarity between certain gases used for general anaesthesia (e.g., halothane) and some of the stuff we're always talking about avoiding (e.g., hexanes), to cause this problem.
The length of time under anaesthesia needed for your relatively complicated surgery is very likely a major factor, as well

That being said, Lockolatte's suggestion is excellent.
Years ago, I read that certain European countries (e.g., Poland) have super-hot springs with rocks, to which people from all over the world go for healing and rejuvenation.
Perhaps you could research going for the best of these with your surgeon and your physiatrist.
Of course they won't want you to be far away from your treatment team - but they might be willing at some point to give you a medical pass to leave Australia for brief periods, if you offer up this rationale...

I'm just grateful it was not a more vital part of your body that was injured. You WILL get through this valley.
Whatever you decide, you are in my prayers.