Different ways to use Minoxidil?

[appajohns]

Hey Guys,

Im new to the forums and I've been using Rogaine for about 2 weeks.

Currently Im using 5%foam twice a day.

Anyway, I've doing some research and apparently, people are using Minoxidil in different percentages and in conjunction with different products.

This is all kinda new to me, so I was wondering if someone could fill me in one the most effective way to use rogaine.

Whats this 5% 15% stuff? Whats the difference between liquid and foam minoxidil? Are there shampoos or different products that could make the rogaine more effective? Can you guys list the different ways you've used minoxidil that was successful to you?

Thanks Very Much

[Baldieboy]

Stick with your 5%, use it for at least 6 months to see how you go, also use Nizoral shampoo? What kinda hairloss do you have, what Norwood are you?

[Tracy C]

Whats this 5% 15% stuff?

Hi appajohns,

The only strength of Minoxidil that is FDA approved for use without a prescription is 5%. There are some questionable companies who sell products with higher percentages of Minoxidil. The important thing for you to know about those shady suppliers is that increasing the percentage also increases your chances of experiencing negative side effects from the medication. So it is best to avoid those and stick with legitimate formulations of the medicine.

Whats the difference between liquid and foam minoxidil?

This is pretty self explanitory. Liquid minoxidil is in a loquid form. Rogaine foam is the same medicine in the form of a foam. Only the name brand Rogaine is available in a foam. Generic Minoxidil is only available in liquid form.

Are there shampoos or different products that could make the rogaine more effective?

There are no shampoos that officially do anything to treat hair loss. However many use Nizoral shampoo in their treatment regimen. The active ingredient in Nizoral is a mild anti-androgen that may help block or reduce the hormone that causes hair loss (DHT) at the scalp. Nizoral is available in prescription strength 2% and non-prescription stregth 1% versions. It is very important to only use the 2% strength once per week in place of your regular shampoo. You can use the 1% strength up to twice per week if you want to.

The only medication that can help Rogaine (or generic Minoxidil) be more effective is Propecia (or generic Finasteride). Rogaine (or generic Minoxidil) is a growth stimulant but it does nothing to block the hormone that causes hair loss (DHT). Propecia (or generic Finasteride) blocks the formation of the hormone that causes hair loss (DHT) but it is not a growth stimulant.

Low level laser therapy such as the hairmax laser comb can increase the caliber and quiality of the hair your have. This effect can make your hair look fuller and more youthful.. This effect can also improve the hair that has grown back from using Rogaine (or generic Minoxidil).

Can you guys list the different ways you've used minoxidil that was successful to you?

The best way to use Rogaine (or generic Minoxidil) is to use it as directed. There is no need to over complicate the matter. Doing so will not increase the effectiveness.

Take care,

Tracy

[appajohns]

Baldieboy Hey, thanks for the info, Ill defiantly try the Nizoral. I looked at the norewood scale and Im at number 2.

Its kinda weird, no? rogaine says its ment for the vertex but my dermatologist says to use it anyway.

Tracy C Hey, Thanks very much for all the info. I really appreciate it and its very clarifying.

So if rogaine is only a stimulant, that would mean dht hormones are still receding my hair line, no? Do you think rogaine is enough to keep the hair I've got? Or do most people end up taking Finasteride or Propecia?

Also, I have another question.
Starting from about 8 years ago I've lost a lot of hair in general, meaning I have less roots. But there wasn't a focused area of hair loss. I had no balding spot or receding line. Plus my hair wasn't and isn't thinning. Its still thick so it looked normal.

About last year, age 24, my hair started receding in the temple area. Today its a norewood scale 2. If I pull my hair back, its very noticeable.

During that last 8 years, I wasn't eating healthy nor eating very much, and went through an extremely stressful moment in my life. A crisis in the family. Also within the last 3 years, my sleeping patter became erratic due to school and work. Id sleep 2 hours one day and 12 the next. (My life is much healthier now)

So my question is, can lack of nutrition, stress and lack of sleep cause male pattern baldness?

I should also mention that both my grandfathers, my dad and uncles still have a pretty full head of hair.

I dont think it's genetics and I'd think nutrition, stress, sleep would cause me to loose hair all over but not conform to the norewood scale.

Sorry about the long winded question. But thanks again for you help

[Tracy C]

Its kinda weird, no? rogaine says its ment for the vertex but my dermatologist says to use it anyway.

Hi appajohns,

The reason Rogaine says it is meant for the vertex is because that is all they tested it on way back when they applied for FDA approval. Therefore they are not allowed to say it works anywhere else on the head. Rogaine (or generic Minoxidil) actually works anywhere that you still have some hair. It does not care where that hair is.

So if rogaine is only a stimulant, that would mean dht hormones are still receding my hair line, no?

That is correct. If you are not doing anything to try to control DHT, you are fighting an uphill battle.

Do you think rogaine is enough to keep the hair I've got?

As far as keeping the hair you have, Propecia (or generic Finasteride) is more effective than Rogaine (or generic Minoxidil). The most important thing about treating hair loss is to treat the cause. Rogaine (or generic Minoxidil) treats the symptom but not the cause. Propecia (or generic Finasteride) treats the cause.

About last year, age 24, my hair started receding in the temple area. Today its a norewood scale 2. If I pull my hair back, its very noticeable.

Males usually do not get to keep their temple hair. Males typically develop a mature male hair line. This is a normal male physical characteristic that differs from females. Some males get deaper temple recession than others.

So my question is, can lack of nutrition, stress and lack of sleep cause male pattern baldness?

Stress and lack of sleep can cause hair loss. I am reasonably sure that very poor nutrition might cause it as well - because very poor nutrition causes stress on the body.

I should also mention that both my grandfathers, my dad and uncles still have a pretty full head of hair.

You are likely to have similar pattern to your male relatives. There are no guarantees though. If hair loss is in your family history (it usually is for everyone), it is possible for your to lose your hair.

Take care,

Tracy

[appajohns]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I guess what i ment to ask is, can malnutrition cause male pattern baldness, even when all the men in my mom and dads side of the family, literally none of them have significant male pattern baldness?

[VictimOfDHT]

Appajohns, NO. Malnutrition, stress, or lack of sleep WILL NOT cause someone who doesn't have the "baldness" gene to be bald. That's a big myth. Even these people we see in some famine stricken places in Africa who are nothing more than skeletons with some skin on them have full heads of hair despite the severe malnutrition they suffer from. I hardly ever eat more than one meal a day -usually something simple- and hardly ever sleep more than 6 hours a day, and suffer from extreme stress and anxiety and have been living like this for over 22 years and I still have a good amount of hair. In fact, I have way more hair than my younger brother, who sleeps more and eats more and stresses less. Sure, I use meds to help fight this god damn curse and I've had HTs -only in the front- but I'm still not bald. Bottom line is - if you you don't have the "baldness" gene then no amount of malnutrition, stress, or lack of sleep, or smoking will make you go bald. It just doesn't happen. Sure, stress can cause some hair loss but it's TEMPORARY and it's not MPB. If you do have the gene then severe stress can accelerate the loss of hair but even then it's not such a decisive factor. From Feb'11 to about Sep I went through hell and extremely stressful situation that I lost a lot of weight and was even eating less than usual -how much less than one meal a day can you eat- and it (stress/anxiety) was affecting my nervous system yet I'm still not bald. Yes, I was losing hair but it turns out the hair I was losing was lost because I had stopped using Minox. Well, I had switched to some snake oil crap that was claiming to have 15% minox. But once I got back on Kirkland's and Rogaine's Minox shedding stopped.

The other thing I want to say is : don't underestimate the power of minox or overestimate the power of Fin. In my case, Minox is definitely and without any doubt is what's helping me keep my hair or at least slow down the process of MPB. I've been using Fin and also Minox for over 12 years yet once I stop using Minox I start shedding hair like crazy and once I get back on it shedding magically stops. This has happened a few times and it's always the same results. The same can NOT be said about Fin however. So, if I were you I'd use both because you might be like me and actually benefit more from minox.

[Xandroxuser]

A major difference between Rogaine foam and liquid is that the foam does not use propylene glycol as a 'carrier', whereas the liquid does. Many rogaine users developed an allergy to the liquid and had to look elsewhere before the foam was introduced.

The jury is still out as to whether the foam is as 'effective' as the liquid. My reading of the literature is that, for many, 'cosmetically' the foam is as 'effective' or more 'effective'. but 'objectively' (number of new hairs grown) the liquid is more 'effective' than the foam. If I had the choice, I would probably use one in the morning and the other in the evening.

[Xandroxuser]

The other thing I want to say is : don't underestimate the power of minox or overestimate the power of Fin. In my case, Minox is definitely and without any doubt is what's helping me keep my hair or at least slow down the process of MPB. I've been using Fin and also Minox for over 12 years yet once I stop using Minox I start shedding hair like crazy and once I get back on it shedding magically stops. This has happened a few times and it's always the same results. The same can NOT be said about Fin however. So, if I were you I'd use both because you might be like me and actually benefit more from minox.[/QUOTE]

Would it be possible for you to give more details as to your use (and non-use) of minox and its 'effects'? I, like many, used Richard Lee's 5% and 15% ******* for years. There is no way this was 'snake oil'. There are just too many experienced and reliable people testifying to its 'efficacy'. Our worry is that if we move to rogaine foam we will lose what progress/maintenance we made with Richard Lee. Many of us moved over to other 15% minox before they were all shut down.

[VictimOfDHT]

I wasn't talking about Dr. Lee's. I've tried it once before and didn't see any difference. It was way too expensive and I thought it wasn't worth it. It was Dualgen 15% -on ebay- I was talking about. While on it, I was shedding and shedding and shedding. Then went back to Kilrkland's and the shedding stopped after about 5 weeks and I'm still barely losing 25 hairs a day after I was losing upward of 130 hairs a day on the other crap. I don't think I'll ever see those hairs grow back again. I'm never ever switching again. The two brands that worked for me - Rogaine and Kirkland.

[Xandroxuser]

I wasn't talking about Dr. Lee's. I've tried it once before and didn't see any difference. It was way too expensive and I thought it wasn't worth it. It was Dualgen 15% -on ebay- I was talking about. While on it, I was shedding and shedding and shedding. Then went back to Kilrkland's and the shedding stopped after about 5 weeks and I'm still barely losing 25 hairs a day after I was losing upward of 130 hairs a day on the other crap. I don't think I'll ever see those hairs grow back again. I'm never ever switching again. The two brands that worked for me - Rogaine and Kirkland.

What you say is important to me. There are mixed views expressed on internet forums on Dualgen 15. As I see it, the major problem when people talk of 'shedding' is this. The orthodox view is that 'shedding', other things being equal, is good because it shows the treatment is working. As Tracy puts it, the 'old' hair is giving way to 'new' (future) stronger hair. How can you be certain that this wasn't happening to you? On the other hand, if Dualgen 15 is literally fraudulent - say it had no minoxidil in it - then surely any hair you had grown through your 5% minoxidil would take some 3-4 months to lose. As I understand it, this would actually be losing 5% gains rather than 'shedding' in the previous sense.

There are many reports which argue that switching brands often leads to 'shedding' although the various brands all purport to contain 'minoxidil'. Several posters who regarded many of Dr Lee's 'compounds' as ineffective dealt with customer satisfaction be saying it was actually the high grade minoxidil he used that was providing the satisfaction. Azeliac acid and such things were not doing anything.

My own view, is that minoxidil.max were attempting to copy Dr Lee's products. Reportedly, they had a Ph.D in chemistry at the helm. But Dr Lee had years of experience, wrote on the topic, was highly respected by his supporters for the depth, clarity, plausibility and 'reasonableness' of his responses to his customers. Did you know, for instance, that he advised not drinking grapefruit juice if you were taking fin because there are 'scientific' reports supporting this view?

The problem now - it seems to me - is that we have no such 'expert' to turn to, and as a result have to do the best with forums such as this in this whole very subjective area.

This is not academic for me. I have to decide whether to move to Rogaine foam now (no PG) or use minoxidil.max ******* 5% and 15% and Dualgen 5% and 15% on alternative days for the next two years until my present supply passes its expiry date. Perhaps, irrationally, I am inclined, at the moment, to do the latter.

Any comments would be most appreciated.

[VictimOfDHT]

This is what I have to tell you. Been on Minox 5% since the mid 90's. First was using Rogaine brand because there were no generics. When Kirkland started making it I switched to Kirkland. No shedding at all on either one. I would only shed if I had stopped using Minox for a period of time then got bakc on it. I'd normally shed for about 6 weeks then hardly any hairs fall out in the shower or in the comb after that. Usually no more than 40 hairs shed. But even during the initial shed it was never more than 70-80 hairs a day. Now, come to Duragen and it's a whole different story. Like I said, the amount of hair I was shedding while on it was scary. MINIMUM 130-150 right after a shower. The shedding NEVER stopped but kept going month after month until I was probably 1/3 thinner all over. THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE. NEVER IN THE PAST 15 YEARS, yet all of a sudden it happens while on this SCAM and garbage called Dualgen.
Luckily I switched back to Kirkland after realizing that crap (Dualgen) must have been the culprit and guess what, exactly on the 6th week on it my shedding stopped. Now, I hardly shed any hair. Probably around 30 or so a day.
I'm not sure switching brands has anything to do with this. I just don't see how switching from one Minoxidil to another Minoxidil would cause any shedding UNLESS one of those "Minoxidils" IS NO Minoxidil all but some kind of a snake oil (probably water with minox scent). Proof - No shedding when switching between Kirkland and Rogaine, and no shedding when I once went on Dr. Lee's for a couple of months. What does that proof? That Dualgen IS A SNAKE OIL. I have not the slightest doubt about it.

Unfortunately, that stupid experiment cost me a whole lot of hair NEEDLESSLY

[Xandroxuser]

What does that proof? That Dualgen IS A SNAKE OIL. I have not the slightest doubt about it.

Quote

Many thanks - you give an impressive argument. Any other similar stories out there?

[jayth]

I agree with you guys. I went the DualGen route as well (as a matter of fact I went to re-order it and found out they shut down. Thats how I found this site). I did'nt notice increased shedding on it (i used it for about 4 mos) but it definitely did'nt re-grow any hair.

[Xandroxuser]

I agree with you guys. I went the DualGen route as well (as a matter of fact I went to re-order it and found out they shut down. Thats how I found this site). I did'nt notice increased shedding on it (i used it for about 4 mos) but it definitely did'nt re-grow any hair.

Jayth, thanks for contributing. What were using before -and for how long - and with what success?