Starting 5% Rogaine - question

[montreal6130]

Hi,

I just received shipment of my first supply of Rogaine foam. I have heard that people shed more than pre-Rogaine at the start. Couple of questions:

(1) is the excess shedding a given?

(2) is it possible to experience excess shedding and also not see any results? Basically making Rogaine work against hair gain?

Thx

[Tracy C]

Shedding does not always happen but it usually does. Shedding is a part of the process of treating hereditary hair loss (MPB & FPB). The hair that sheds out usually grows back thicker than it was before it shed out - if you continue treatment. Stopping treatment because of shedding is a very bad idea. Before you start treatment, make sure you can deal with it emotionally and stick with the treatment for at least a full year.

Now this part is very important. If you are male and are intending to use Rogaine on your hair line, rethink that idea. Make sure you thoroughly read and understand what I am going to say next. For most males, Rogaine works on the vertex and mid-anterior areas of the scalp, not the hair line. Some males can regrow some hair in their hair lines, but most males cannot do so - with Rogaine or any other medication. This limitation does not apply to females. The reason this limitation applies to males but not females is because most males develop an adult mature male hair line and most females do not.

The adult mature male hair line is a natural and normal male attribute like bigger hands, bigger feet, deeper voice, thick beard, thick body hair and so on. Rogaine is intended to treat MPB. The natural and normal adult mature male hair line is not MPB. If you attempt to prevent the natural and normal adult mature male hair line from developing by using Rogaine on your hair line, you can actually accelerate the process rather than prevent it. Most of those complaints you read about guys shedding out hair that never grows back are from guys who tried using Rogaine on their hair lines.

Again, make sure you understand what I just said up there. There is absolutely no way for you to know in advance if you will be one of the lucky guys who can regrow hair in your hair line. So if you intend to use Rogaine on your hair line, make sure you can live with the consiqueces of that decision.

Now if after reading and understanding all that you still intend to use Rogaine, start low and work your way up to the normal twice a day dose slowly over time. Start with once a day every other day for one bottle. Then use it once a day every day for the next bottle. Then use it twice a day every day as directed from then on.

Now would be a good time to replace your regular shampoo and conditioner with sulfate free shampoo and conditioner if you haven't already done so. You can use a sulfate free 2-n-1 if you want to if your hair is short. It would also be a good idea to ask your doctor for a prescription for Nizoral shampoo and use it once a week in place of your regular shampoo.

If you do not intend to take Propecia or generic Finasteride, go to your local pharmacy or vitamin shop and pick up some Saw Palmetto Complex and take it as directed on the bottle. Please note that I said "Complex". Saw Palmetto Complex and straight Saw Palmetto are not the same thing. Please also note that there is no reliable evidence that any herbal remedy does anything meaningful to treat hereditary hair loss - but it probably does not hurt to try something that has at least a slight possibility of actually working - such as Saw Palmetto Complex.

Any questions? I'm here for you.

[marikeo]

The adult mature male hair line is a natural and normal male attribute like bigger hands, bigger feet, deeper voice, thick beard, thick body hair and so on. Rogaine is intended to treat MPB. The natural and normal adult mature male hair line is not MPB. If you attempt to prevent the natural and normal adult mature male hair line from developing by using Rogaine on your hair line, you can actually accelerate the process rather than prevent it. Most of those complaints you read about guys shedding out hair that never grows back are from guys who tried using Rogaine on their hair lines.

Tracy C, this is a very interesting opinion on the way Rogaine works. Can you tell me what data you are basing this statement on. I am not questioning that is is true, I have actually had this experience. What I would like to understand is what research backs up this statement. It doesn't seem to make logical sense. Some adult men do not develop the receding hairline at all. Therefore, it would seem that whatever creates the typical mail recession is a function of the same problem that causes advanced MPB, but a much slower rate. So why would Rogaine accelerate permanent loss at the hairline (which is a subjective line that changes over time) but not elsewhere on the head?

Thanks for the posting and any additional insight!

Mark