Rogaine

[Pavi]

I just went to a dermatologist today regarding my hair loss. I am a NWIII with long curly hair. Anyway, I asked her about rogaine/minoxidil and whether or not it loses effectiveness over time. She told me that everything she says about products is clinically-meaning what she sees in her own patients.

She told me that rogaine/minox does not lose effectiveness over time. She said that many people think that just because it's not inhibiting DHT that a at a random the drug will stop working. She said that DHT is important in hair loss but it's not the entire picture or else propecia would work for everyone and be a cure for hair loss. That being said, she said minoxidil acts in ways not fully understood, so how could anyone know what its role in hair loss is? She said that if minoxidil can reverse miniaturizing hair follicles, the drug has to be interrupting the balding process.


Thoughts on this??

[Driver]

I would agree that the mechanism of action of Rogaine is unknown. It may have something to do with vasodilation or a completely different effect (or both). We really just do not know.

[Pavi]

I would agree that the mechanism of action of Rogaine is unknown. It may have something to do with vasodilation or a completely different effect (or both). We really just do not know.

So do you believe rogaine can maintain hair for 5-10 years?

[newuser1]

So do you believe rogaine can maintain hair for 5-10 years?

No expert and have never used rogaine, but I've been told it's most effective when combined with a DHT reducer like fin or dut. I know that rogaine was never the 'miracle' drug that some initially thought when it was introduced in the late 80s/early 90s. I suppose there are guys who have been maintaining for many years on it alone.

Then again I really think if you are prone to aggressive hair loss it's an uphill battle no matter what you use. It's hard to say if those guys who have been on fin/dut/rogaine/whatever for 20 years and barely had any loss how much difference their treatment made. It could also be they were just very very slowly balding.

[Pavi]

No expert and have never used rogaine, but I've been told it's most effective when combined with a DHT reducer like fin or dut. I know that rogaine was never the 'miracle' drug that some initially thought when it was introduced in the late 80s/early 90s. I suppose there are guys who have been maintaining for many years on it alone.

Then again I really think if you are prone to aggressive hair loss it's an uphill battle no matter what you use. It's hard to say if those guys who have been on fin/dut/rogaine/whatever for 20 years and barely had any loss how much difference their treatment made. It could also be they were just very very slowly balding.

How can anyone really tell if they have aggressive hair loss as opposed to premature? We don't. I began losing my hair at 15-16, yet I am 20 now and nobody can notice the difference in my hair. I obviously can, but others cannot. I have lost 3 norwoods in 4 years which would suggest "aggressive balding" but whose to say that I don't just stay at NWIII for 5-10 years? we never know. Using minoxidil is proven to slow down the process. Just because it is not blocking DHT does not mean its ineffective. DHT is not the only culprit in hair loss.