Does Rogaine (Minoxidil 5%) really work?

[rdawg]

So I asked this elsewhere, but haven't gotten an answer, so maybe someone here can chime in: exactly how bad is the shed, typically? Does it just blow your hair out, or is it relatively minor? I just want to brace myself for how bad I'm gonna look.

shed for what? Fin? or Minoxidil?

for Minoxidil, I havent heard of any massive/major shed, at most a minor shed.

Dont expect massive results from minoxidil, the best receptor may gain a little bit of ground and thickness, but you wont be getting a full head of hair back for sure.

Finasteride the shed varies but on average it's not bad, i'm shedding on it now but it's fairly minor, noticeable but minor. Not clumps of hair coming out of my head or anything.

[rdawg]

Thanks Chris. Well im currently 17, turning 18 in a month and i started noticing my hairline receding at late 15. I am currently between a NW2 and NW3. I got a haircut about a month ago and thats when i noticed all of the peach fuzz replacing the terminal hair that used to be on my hairline. So i havent even been balding for 5 years. With this being said, do you think the vellus hairs will go terminal?

on average some do grow back, I havent heard or read anything guarenteeing all vellus hairs to return to normal, but most say that some will get reinforced.

the earlier or bigger the vellus hair, probably more likely they'll work and they give you a bigger chance to regrow than slick bald spots that's for sure!

[Trapstyle]

Rogaine 5% works!

(18 year old)3 month results using rogaine 5%. Had my doubts but after shredding a couple weeks it started growing back thicker. First pic 2 weeks using rogaine second pic 3 months later.

[GroughBack]

Looks much better Congratulations, more often than not minox causes the miniaturization of follicles over time(more hair but vellus hair only) does nothing for thicker looking hair in the front, while the crown looks slightly better from the vellus hair. Glad its working for you!

[Ahab]

Hello All:

I'm NW III with thinning hair in top frontal region. Take finasteride daily so have been retaining hair.

I'm wondering if I should start Minoxidil 5%. I'm prepared to do it sincerely twice a day if it will re-grow or thicken hair in front.

Please let me know if anyone has had success with this product and whether it causes noticeable improvement.

I have been unable to see good before/after pics on internet. Thank you all!!

Rave

I don't believe Rogaine actually causes permanently dormant hair follicles to grow hair again.

Rather, Rogaine likely keeps follicles that are already functioning normally (i.e., not yet killed off by mpb) in the growth phase of the hair life cycle (Google that). If, say, 20% on average of a person's living hair follicles are in the resting phase at any one time, then Rogaine will wake them up and keep them awake, so you'll get maybe a 25% increase in density because all your follicles are producing hair at the same time.

But then after a while, the body adjusts (follicles, like people, need their sleep), and the Rogaine loses its effect. In my case, Rogaine started losing its effectiveness after a few years.

[GroughBack]

I think you're right on, very rare that rogaine shows those type of results, glad its working for him. I know tons of people that swear they would have more hair if they never started rogaine. But once in a while, you get traps response.