Thinking of stopping Minoxidil and remaining on Finasteride

[Anon111]

I started using both about 8 months ago and basically I'm finding the Minoxidil slightly irritating having to keep applying it, it makes it harder to style my hair, that sort of thing...and it is the foam, not the liquid.

I was considering stopping the minoxidil and remaining on finasteride. I was wondering just how effective minoxidil is, and if it would be OK to do this..because I know some people are just on finasteride and don't use minoxidil.

I've read that Minoxidil's effectiveness is kind of minimal compared to Finasteride. And I figure that if I don't really wanna take it for the rest of my life, I might as well stop now. What do you think?

[mattj]

I would rate Finasteride above Minoxidil in its ability to maintain hair. Minoxidil can re-grow hair which, essentially, means that it's maintaining hair, but Propecia actually works to slow down hair loss and is therefore a better treatment overall.

Be aware that you might experience some shedding if you stop Minoxidil. Any hair that it regrew will almost certainly be lost.

[Anon111]

I would rate Finasteride above Minoxidil in its ability to maintain hair. Minoxidil can re-grow hair which, essentially, means that it's maintaining hair, but Propecia actually works to slow down hair loss and is therefore a better treatment overall.

Be aware that you might experience some shedding if you stop Minoxidil. Any hair that it regrew will almost certainly be lost.

Well Propecia actually stops hair loss, it doesn't just slow it down lol.

[mattj]

It can do. But probably not for ever.

[Anon111]

It can do. But probably not for ever.

Oh so we're just going to speculate then? I've read scientific studies and they disagree with you completely.

You're a doctor's rep?

[mattj]

Oh so we're just going to speculate then? I've read scientific studies and they disagree with you completely.

You're a doctor's rep?

I am, and I'm just being realistic about Propecia. Lots of guys have long term success with maintaining their hair on the drug, but to say that their hair loss has been stopped dead in its tracks and will never progress is not a certainty. I'd like to see a study that contradicts this.

[mmmcoffee]

Like it or not, you will need to remain on minox to avoid a huge shed from quitting.

I quit minox and stayed on fin, within a few months I had shedded a TON of hair and had a severe scalp itch. When I realized it was from quitting minox I got back on an 7 months later I haven't recovered the density i had before I quit. I curse the day I quit minox.

So annoying or not, probably in your best interest to stay on it

[Anon111]

I am, and I'm just being realistic about Propecia. Lots of guys have long term success with maintaining their hair on the drug, but to say that their hair loss has been stopped dead in its tracks and will never progress is not a certainty. I'd like to see a study that contradicts this.

The only long term study done on finasteride was a 10 year one which was completed fairly recently. 86% of men either experienced no further hair loss, or regrew hair over the entire course of 10 years. The authors concluded that the effectiveness of finasteride does not reduce over time, even in older patients.

I'd like to see a study that contradicts this.

[PatientlyWaiting]

Well Propecia actually stops hair loss, it doesn't just slow it down lol.

It depends, it can slow it down or it can stop it. For me, it slowed it down.

And if you are dropping minoxidil, prepare to go through the same thing that happened to me when I dropped it(back on it now for 2 months), which is you lose any hair that minoxidil regrew or thickened for you.

[PatientlyWaiting]

The only long term study done on finasteride was a 10 year one which was completed fairly recently. 86% of men either experienced no further hair loss, or regrew hair over the entire course of 10 years. The authors concluded that the effectiveness of finasteride does not reduce over time, even in older patients.

I'd like to see a study that contradicts this.

May I see the link to this study?

Hair slowing down, may appear as if hair loss stopped.

Too many guys who used finasteride say that it only slowed down their hair loss. I don't know about those "studies".

[mattj]

A ten year study is not enough to convince me. However, it may be completely true that Finasteride completely stops hair loss in some men. I tend to think that it's more sensible to tell people that their hair loss can be slowed by the drug rather than stating that if they take the pill their hair loss is history.

[Anon111]

May I see the link to this study?

Hair slowing down, may appear as if hair loss stopped.

Too many guys who used finasteride say that it only slowed down their hair loss. I don't know about those "studies".

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/research/10-year-finasteride-study-first-to-investigate-long-term-effects-and-safety/

A study is a far more reliable source of information than random people posting on the internet. The study indicated that 86% of people on the drug experienced no further hair loss whatsoever, and over 40% regrew hair. Only 14% experienced hair loss over the course of the 10 year period while on the drug. The authors concluded that the effectiveness of finasteride does not reduce over time, even in older men.

Of course the success rate is not 100%, but you have to realise that you're posting on a hair loss forum, and so are the people saying finasteride doesn't work, or stopped working. If finasteride works for someone, why would they ever come here again? My point is making an opinion on a drug based on people posting on hair loss forums isn't wise. The people claiming it doesn't work for them are in the 14%. So if you make an opinion based on people's experiences posting here, you're looking at an extremely skewed demographic.

Just like you have seen people say that finasteride stops working, I have seen people say the exact opposite - I've seen quite a few people who have been on it for 10 or 15 years, say that they have had no hair loss whatsoever since starting it. But like I said before, you probably don't see enough of those people because they're not posting on hair loss forums.

I think looking at a controlled study with measured results is more wise than making an opinion based on what random people post on a message board.

[rdawg]

I stopped minoxidil for a few weeks about a year back, started shedding like crazy. I definitely keep it in my regimen.

maybe use it a bit less(every other day) but I wouldn't reccomend removing it from your routine.