Info. about Minoxidil

[5000]

People! im just 24 with 30 or 35% of my hair gone with the wind. lolz
I want to ask from users of minoxidil that
1. what is your expereince about it? does it help?
2. please tell me the real sides of minoxidil.
3. what is the cheapest brand around? since i can not afford expensive treatments.

[Tracy C]

Yes, Minoxidil works if you use it properly and long enough. Like the only other proven treatment for hereditary hair loss, it works best on the vertex and mid-anterior areas for males.

Though Minoxidil does work, it does not address the cause of your hair loss. You need to talk to a doctor about that.

The side effects of Minoxidil are very mild and well tolerated. Most people who use this medication do not even experience the possible side effects.

Generic liquid Minoxidil is the least expensive. I have used Walmart's brand and it seems to work just as well as Rogaine.

[tj0]

minoxidil

Google Minoxidil and Skin damage. I've been using minox. for years and while it does seem to have stabilized my hair loss and grown back a little, the side effects are troubling. The sides that I've experienced are dry and itchy scalp sometimes, which seemed to fade over time and the other side is my face appears to have aged. I first noticed a deep wrinkle under my right eye not long after I began minox treatment. During this time I developed dark circles under my eyes that made it look like I hadn't slept in days. Some who read this are going to say that it's other causes aging, poor sleep patterns, stress etc. I was sleeping regularly and stress levels were about the same. I have always taken care of my skin also. The time frame was bang on from when I started using Minoxidil and the haggard looking skin. Anyway, I happened to stumble across Minoxidil causing skin damage while googling it for other reasons. So now the conundrum that I have is quitting Minoxidil and losing the hair that is dependent on it or aging my face. Just really wish that they would come up with something better than this stuff in what? 20 or so years?!!!

[Lounk61]

Hi Tracy,
Been using minox 5% solution all over my scalp since a month after my transplant over 9 months ago. Switched to foam about 2 months ago. never had a problem until 2 or 3 days ago when my scalp got irritated, red, and burning. Kept putting minox on but yesterday only once and none today so far. It hurts too much. I put aloe vera gel all over my scalp to soothe it and it helps a little but I'm afraid to put minox on today. Don't know if it's been helping much anyway since I'm a nw6 and 61yrs old. but afraid to stop in case it is helping. You think it will affect my transplanted hair or any other hair I have up there which is not that much if I stop? Don't understand why I'm having a reaction after all this time. Ever here of this happening? thanks.

[UK_]

FINASTERIDE IS A DANGEROUS DRUG - STAY AWAY FROM IT.

PROPECIA SALES ARE FALLING AND LAWSUITS AGAINST MERCK ARE RISING AT A RATE OF 150%.

IT IS NOT WORTH IT.

http://www.examiner.com/article/propecia-lawsuits-skyrocket-as-sales-of-merck-s-risky-baldness-drug-dive

[5000]

If you're 24 and already a NW3 chances are you're going to need more than Minoxidil to stop your hairloss.

If I were you though, try Nizoral and Minox and see how things go. For some people this even regrows their hair.

Funnily enough the only medication that stop hairloss is finasteride. It's also the cheapest by a huge amount. Maybe look into it if you're willing to risk the unlikely sides also associated with it.

im currently a norwood 1.5 and if i style my hair well my baldness is not even noticeable yet.. but im afraid of losing more hair which i am..... so i was asking about minox.. but its terrible if i will get a wrinkle using it... or my skin will look aged i just hope aderans or histogen come up with something real soon now...

[5000]

Google Minoxidil and Skin damage. I've been using minox. for years and while it does seem to have stabilized my hair loss and grown back a little, the side effects are troubling. The sides that I've experienced are dry and itchy scalp sometimes, which seemed to fade over time and the other side is my face appears to have aged. I first noticed a deep wrinkle under my right eye not long after I began minox treatment. During this time I developed dark circles under my eyes that made it look like I hadn't slept in days. Some who read this are going to say that it's other causes aging, poor sleep patterns, stress etc. I was sleeping regularly and stress levels were about the same. I have always taken care of my skin also. The time frame was bang on from when I started using Minoxidil and the haggard looking skin. Anyway, I happened to stumble across Minoxidil causing skin damage while googling it for other reasons. So now the conundrum that I have is quitting Minoxidil and losing the hair that is dependent on it or aging my face. Just really wish that they would come up with something better than this stuff in what? 20 or so years?!!!

sides are always painful im sorry to hear about you expereince with it but i will like to know how old are you? and is it worth to give it a try at a young age?

[5000]

Yes, Minoxidil works if you use it properly and long enough. Like the only other proven treatment for hereditary hair loss, it works best on the vertex and mid-anterior areas for males.

Though Minoxidil does work, it does not address the cause of your hair loss. You need to talk to a doctor about that.

The side effects of Minoxidil are very mild and well tolerated. Most people who use this medication do not even experience the possible side effects.

Generic liquid Minoxidil is the least expensive. I have used Walmart's brand and it seems to work just as well as Rogaine.

now im afraid about the sides otherwise i had made up my mind to give it a try oh LORD help us all

[rdawg]

People! im just 24 with 30 or 35% of my hair gone with the wind. lolz
I want to ask from users of minoxidil that
1. what is your expereince about it? does it help?
2. please tell me the real sides of minoxidil.
3. what is the cheapest brand around? since i can not afford expensive treatments.

1. Decent, I started it around 18, it definitely slowed my hairloss but did not stop it, I knew it slowed it as when i would go off it for say a week I would shed much more. Overall no growth though, just what I would call artificial slowing.

2.No serious sides however I do get heavy dandruff but that can be attributed to the brand i'm using, I get less dandruff on different brands but even with Nizoral/dandruff shampoos my dandruff is somewhat consistently around.

3. I believe generic at walmart is the cheapest. Overall it's not an expensive treatment in the first place.


Side note- I'd reccomend looking into propecia as well as of the two FDA approved drugs it's the only one that I can say actually inhibits or helps to inhibit what is causing your hairloss.(it doesnt necessarily regrow but if you have no sides it can almost permanently halt your loss.).

[Tracy C]

Google Minoxidil and Skin damage.

This is largely fear mongering. The real possibility of this happening to any one is so unlikely it is is only just barely worth mentioning.

Many women use Minoxidil. If Minoxidil actually did age skin in a statistically significant number of people, women would not go anywhere near the stuff.

FINASTERIDE IS A DANGEROUS DRUG - STAY AWAY FROM IT.

This is also largely fear mongering.

You need to talk to a doctor who specializes in treating hair loss. This is especially true if your only concern is your hair line. If you do not have thinning in your vertex and/or mid-anterior areas, neither Finasteride or Minoxidil are appropriate for you. The risks of possible side effects greatly outweighs your perceived benefit - and neither are likely to do anything for your hair line anyway.

One last thing. You always have the option to do nothing about your hereditary hair loss and simply allow nature to take it's course. There are only two medications that are proven to work and FDA approved for treating hereditary hair loss. As with all other medications, they both have possible side effects. Again, you always have the option of doing nothing to treat your hereditary hair loss. There is no shame is choosing that option.

[Person]

My personal opinion... dont bother using it.

1. Its only truly effective in roughly 40% of ppl who use it.
2. It has side effects related to your heart health and skin aging/bloating as well as headaches. Research minoxidil side effects for more info
3. It must be used for life, and if you quit after using it for about 6 months you will experience rapid hair loss (treatment induced telogen effluvium)
4. Max results are seen at about 3-4 months , then hair loss continues at previous rate see graph (http://divineskin.com/uk/spectralDNC...oxidilMech.PDF)
5. Do not use on the hairline, it will destroy it. A very small number of people have used it on hairlines with success.
6. It must be applied twice daily...very annoying
7. Just because it is FDA approved does not mean it is SUPER effective, it just means its safe enough and has some efficacy.
8. It causes a shed from the moment you begin usage. Although hair usually regrows and this is a sign its working, some times hair will not regrow and you can look worse than before. See disclaimer on rogaine website.
9. It does not stop the source of hairloss, it is just a medicine that had a side effect of growing hair
10. Better treatments such as Allergan's Bimatoprost for Scalp will probably be available around late 2014 or early 2015

[Tracy C]

1. Its only truly effective in roughly 40% of ppl who use it.

This statement is not true.

3. It must be used for life, and if you quit after using it for about 6 months you will experience rapid hair loss (treatment induced telogen effluvium)

Any and every treatment for hereditary hair loss must be used for life. Hereditary hair loss is progressive and does not stop once it is triggered into action.

Any and every "future" treatment will also need to be used for life.

This will remain true until a true cure for hereditary hair loss is found.

4. Max results are seen at about 3-4 months , then hair loss continues at previous rate see graph

This is absolutely not true. There is not a single word of truth in that entire statement. It takes three to four months just to find out if Minoxidil will work for you. You do not know how well it will work for you until you have been using it for 12 to 18 months.

5. Do not use on the hairline, it will destroy it.

Though this is possible, it is mostly not true. It is not guaranteed in any way to "destroy" the hair line. Though it is true that males should not use it on their hair line.

Genetics "destroys" a males hair line, not Minoxidil - but using Minoxidil on the hair line can speed up that genetically programmed process.

6. It must be applied twice daily...very annoying.

Minxoidil works best when used twice a day, but it also works if used only once a day. Using it twice a day is not a "must".

8. It causes a shed from the moment you begin usage. Although hair usually regrows and this is a sign its working, some times hair will not regrow and you can look worse than before. See disclaimer on rogaine website.

Any and every treatment for hereditary hair loss causes shedding. This is part of the process of treating hereditary hair loss and there is no way to avoid it.

The shedding can be greatly reduced by tapering up to the normal dose slowly over time.

9. It does not stop the source of hairloss, it is just a medicine that had a side effect of growing hair.

This is the only thing you have posted that was actually completely true.

10. Better treatments such as Allergan's Bimatoprost for Scalp will probably be available around late 2014 or early 2015

It is not yet known if Allergan's treatment will be any more effective than Minoxidil. Though there is very heavy speculation that it will be, this has not yet been proven to be true.

[Spex]

I have found over the years the foam to be the best Minox product personally and use it 1x a day


No real significant sides other than shedding that i have been aware of. Use it in small amounts and not overkill. Less is more.

3. what is the cheapest brand around? since i can not afford expensive treatments.

You can get the foam version cheap from reliable sites such as www.minoxidil-direct.co.uk - this site has been going a long time and is where i get mine. They also sell the Kirkland liquid version cheap however i found that hard to get on with as very greasy.

Best
S

[dex89]

OP, you have to stay positive, NOT EVERYONE has these side effects.

[Tracy C]

OP, you have to stay positive, NOT EVERYONE has these side effects.

Very very few experience the possible side effects of these two medications. Though some actually do, many of those few who do are actually experiencing a psychosomatic response. This is much more common than the fear mongers are will to accept or admit.

However, if your only concern is your hair line, neither of these medications are appropriate for you. It is very important for you to know and realize that.