How long is minoxidil effective?

[chrisis]

I'm wondering how long minoxidil is effective?

I credit minoxidil with thickening up some of hair that was thinning, however I'm wondering if I can maintain this forever, or can it just suddenly stop working?

[mmmcoffee]

im sure the answer is based more on the individual - probably depends on the severity of your case as well as other unknown factors.

if you are on fin, i cant see why it wouldnt last for a long long time.

[chrisis]

Not on fin due to sides. I have just heard minoxidil can stop working after awhile so a little concerned.

[Aames]

Not on fin due to sides. I have just heard minoxidil can stop working after awhile so a little concerned.

I think it does since it isn't actually doing anything to stop miniaturization. Have you considered using a topical DHT inhibitor along with it? Perhaps topical spiro or RU?

[chrisis]

I think it does since it isn't actually doing anything to stop miniaturization. Have you considered using a topical DHT inhibitor along with it? Perhaps topical spiro or RU?

I've heard about RU but it sounds prohibitively expensive and hard to obtain. Could you tell me more about topical spiro?

[Tracy C]

Could you tell me more about topical spiro?

Chrisis, If you experienced the possible negative side effects of Finasteride, you are going to have a much worse experience with Spiro. There is absolutely no way any male should be touching Spiro in any form, unless their lives depend on it or they are transgendered. Aames absolutely does not know he is doing. Don't listen to him. Taking his advise will cause you harm.

The safety and efficacy of RU has not been adequately and appropriately established. You do not know how safe it really is. None of these guys do. Don't listen to them.

Minoxidil does not "stop working" per se. It gets over powered by DHT. Therefore eventually Minoxidil alone will no longer be enough for you to maintain your hair.

[chrisis]

I thought I'd heard of it before as a trangender drug yeah. Not touching it with a bargepole in that case.

I wonder how long minoxidil tends to be effective for.

[Follicle Death Row]

Think I saw a study before that said above baseline for 2 years but I'd have to find it again. I'll have a look.

[mpb47]

I thought I'd heard of it before as a trangender drug yeah. Not touching it with a bargepole in that case.

I wonder how long minoxidil tends to be effective for.

It depends on how aggressive your mpb is and also what is your definition of effective?

I have been using it about 15 years now. It has definitely slowed down my mpb but it not enough to stop it ether. I take pictures so I can tell I am still going bald, but just really slow.

My hair goes through gradual sheads and regrowth. At times it looks like I am getting a good sized bald spot and other times I look almost normal.

So far Propecia is the only thing that really stopped my mpb, but I did eventually get sides. Trying infrequent , very small doses to see if I can tolerate it.

[itsmyhairs]

Perhaps trying minox with a shampoo that inhibits androgens like niz is your best bet for long term regime against hair loss.

After 4 and 1/2 months of minox and 2 month of niz (and now revita) twice a week I'm now not seeing ANY hairs on my hands during shampooing or drying.


That + your HT this year should have you set for the next decade at least, maybe more.
Hopefully by then there's a cure.

[Tracy C]

I wonder how long minoxidil tends to be effective for.

It depends on the person and how aggressive your hair loss is. If I remember your photos correctly, you probably don't actually have MPB. I do know that you are trying to defeat the natural and normal adult mature male hair line - and succeeding to some degree - but this is not MPB. So your "hair loss" is probably not very aggressive. The fact that you experienced the possible side effects of Finasteride is another indicator that you probably do not actually have MPB.

[aim4hair]

Not sure how effective minox is, but it was approved by FDA as a drug that re-grow new hair and maintain existing hair, so maybe there is some truth to that even though I don’t think it would be as effective as propecia, but at least you won't risk sexual sides with minox.

[mmmcoffee]

yea dont worry chrisis you dont have male pattern baldness, you're just maturing to your natural NW5 mature hairline...

yeesh. just cuz someones a NW2 now doesnt mean they arent balding

[itsmyhairs]

yea dont worry chrisis you dont have male pattern baldness, you're just maturing to your natural NW5 mature hairline...

yeesh. just cuz someones a NW2 now doesnt mean they arent balding

Seriously, I can't believe that Tracy debates the fact that someone losing their hair has MPB.

In her world, some men just recede a little bit (due to DHT) then the DHT thinks, "well, my job here is done, this gentleman has a mature hairline now, time for me to stop doing what I'm doing".

Now, Chrisis may not have aggressive MPB like guys who're NW5 at 22, but left untreated he will continue to lose hair.

'Mature' hairlines are a total myth.

[Tracy C]

yea dont worry chrisis you dont have male pattern baldness, you're just maturing to your natural NW5 mature hairline...

yeesh. just cuz someones a NW2 now doesnt mean they arent balding

Sarcasm is not helping you or anyone else. To insinuate that I consider a Norwood 5 as simply a mature hairline is just being hateful for the sake of being a mean and hateful jerk. Go stuff yourself.

Norwood 2 does not mean that he IS balding. I've seen his pictures. His vertex and mid-anterior areas are not thinning. All he has going on is the natural and normal adult mature male hair line, which is natural and normal for a male.