REVERSAL OF HAIR LOSS FOLLOWING VERTICAL GASTROPLASTY WHEN TREATED WITH ZINC-SULFATE

Background: Nutritional complications following surgery for morbid obe sity include both vitamin and mineral deficiency. Severe cases of zinc deficiency can lead to alopecia, diarrhoea, emotional disorders, weig ht loss, intercurrent infection, bullous-pustular dermatitis and hypog onadism in males, Hair loss may occur after vertical gastroplasty (VG) , Methods: Diffuse hair loss occurred in 47 out of 130 patients who un derwent VG, All patients had been routinely advised to take a multivit amin supplement, but 47 developed hair loss despite taking the supplem ent. These patients were then prescribed Zinc Sulphate 200 mg three ti mes a day. There was no alteration in the vitamin supplementation. Res ults: Arrest of hair loss and regrowth occurred in all patients, Howev er, five patients reported recurrence of hair loss after stopping zinc , This loss was reversed within 6 months of recommencing zinc 600 mg d aily, Ten control patients had no hair loss after gastrointestinal sur gery. Conclusion: Significant hair loss occurred in about one-third of patients after VG, and was reversed by zinc supplementation.