Hair Thinning Post-Ileostomy with Crohn's: Recovery Time?

Hello, I had an ileostomy in May. My hair has gotten so thin. How long before it comes back, if ever? My bloodwork is still off. The doctor says don't worry. I have had 32 years of Crohn's disease.

The same thing happened to me 4 1/2 years ago - I've spent hundreds on shampoo and supplements.

It is just now coming back thicker - I take prenatal vitamins (I'm not pregnant). Also, I use Kitch shampoo and biotin supplements every day and no conditioner, a hair mask once a week.

Good luck, Tiffany 🍀

My hair fell out three months post-op. I learned I had post-sepsis syndrome. I had to wear a beanie cap for two months, then my hair grew back curly, then straight.

Hi, this is a good topic because all the medications could be responsible for hair loss, but I believe over time it will come back.

I'm presently having a thinning hair issue which I'm very concerned about. I do not take supplements. I have had a lot of medications in the last 37 years of having Crohn's disease, but it never was an issue until I began biologicals.

Maybe in the last two years, I started various meds to control arthritis.

Then, seeing photos, I noticed the thinning.

Keep your chin up, think positive. Maybe try not washing your hair too much. I'm sure there are supplements and vitamins that may help, but I think the killer for me was prednisone. Being on Prednisone for 37 years, and this is the side effect "catching up" as I begin to taper off it.

What kind of medication have you been on currently? Did you speak to your primary?

Anesthesia has an effect on hair loss. I broke my knee a couple of years ago and have had thinning hair ever since. I hope it grows back.

My emergency ileostomy was exactly one year ago. After a couple of months, my hair started coming out in handfuls, especially when I washed it. It was winter, and I used to wear black and dark-colored sweaters; when I took them off, it looked like I'd been rolling around with a golden retriever. I panicked and contacted my PCP. She said she wasn't surprised at all. After major illness, surgery, exposure to anesthesia, and other forms of stress on the body, it's common for hair to fall out (or shed). The technical name is telogen effluvium. I took 10,000 mcg a day of biotin (the chewable "gummie" form, which is easily absorbed with an ileostomy) and used a biotin shampoo. Whether they helped or not, I'm not sure, but it did come back!

Disease and many other factors are contributors to hair loss. Anesthesia does not cause hair loss. Dermatologists are good people to consult on the multitude of factors in hair loss.

Most of my hair fell out within weeks of surgery over 30 years ago and never grew back. I'm sure mine was just a coincidence, not growing back, and would have done the same without surgery. It's normal for hair to go thin or fall out after surgery. I would guess it's more down to stress, but it almost always grows back stronger, just like us!

Same exact thing for me a few months after my emergency colostomy/sepsis. My doctor also gave it that name - telogen effluvium. For a while, I clogged the tub and vacuum cleaner with my hair - it was everywhere! I switched to a better shampoo and conditioner and started sleeping with my hair up in a bun with a silk ponytail holder. Because of my colostomy, I can no longer sleep on my stomach and have to sleep on my back, so the back of my hair was getting tangled (I have longish hair). This caused more hair loss trying to untangle it - so putting it up at night has helped. Also, I bought a cheap handheld scalp massager that I use when I'm shampooing, and make sure I take a multivitamin that includes biotin. It seems to be working, and I hardly lose any in the shower now! But it's very scary when it's happening!