Hair Loss and Grow Back

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freedancer

When I had my ileostomy emergency surgery in July of last year, I wound up losing 3/4th of my hair. It has finally stopped falling out and has started to grow back. However, it is coming back in brown instead of silver!! ;I spent at least two years growing out my grey and stopped coloring it completely. I know losing my hair was a normal condition that happens after tramatic surgery and Lord knows I had my fair share of it last year but I did not know it would grow back in colored again!! ;Is this normal?? Will it turn grey again?? ;Any information would be appreciated. Thank you!

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Bill

Hello freedancer.I had no idea about this subject but thanks for bringing it up as it gave me an imputus to Google it and find out more. There were some very interesting articles and discussions on the subject but in brief, it does happen that the hair can grow back a different colour whether the hair loss is due to chemo or trauma. .

Apparently, the hair loss is different for chemo-patients from those wh have had a 'trauma' and I've copied the relevant pargraph which explains this process so that you can understand the differences.

How is chemo hair loss different than hair loss after surgery, pregnancy or severe illness?
This type of hair loss is different from the type of hair shedding that happens after pregnancy or surgery. That type of loss happens because hair matrix cells were all put into a resting phase of telogen as a survival mechanism induced by the physiologic “trauma” endured. When the body feels sufficiently recovered, the follicles come out of telogen “hybernation;” once they wake up, they grow a brand new hair, pushing the old hair out of the shaft. This is called telogen effluvium. (The word “effluvium” is derived from a Latin term that means “to flow out.”) With telogen effluvium, the matrix is not shut down but simply goes into its normal physiologic resting state. It then wakes up again to make an entirely new hair and has to push the resting one out to make room for more.  

Best wishes

Bill

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LadyHope

Sometimes when a person loses their hair from surgery, medications or stress, it does grow in differently and sometimes it does not grow back at all. In addition, as a person ages, like everything else, the body changes. You may have pigmentation in your hair temporarily. If you like the silver/grey, you could always go to the salon and have it changed. Bring them a photograph and the stylist could match it for you. After my surgery, my hair grew in very fine.. the diameter of the hair folicle was thinner. I changed my color from light blonde to dark blonde to add depth to my hairstyle. Things have ;improved over the years thankfully. In addition, I take more vitamins to help off-set my reduced bowel tract. Hope this helps. Take care. LH

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