Horrible side effects of minoxidil?

[Tracy C]

I literally have a nw1.5/nw2 hairline...

If you are a NW2 or less, you do not need to be using Minoxidil anyways. Minoxidil is not appropriate for a male who is only a NW2. Minoxidil does have possible side effects, but your description sounds more like an allergic reaction than side effects. If you haven't already stopped using it, you should stop. You don't need it anyways.

[Tracy C]

I think it's time I take out the rights for the domain Minoxidilhelp.com

Oh my. Does that mean you are going to become a Minoxidil scare monger? There is already more than enough false information available on the internet about Minoxidil. There is no need to add more. Yes, there are possible side effects - and they are well known. Those possible side effects are generally mild and well tolerated. Most people who use the medication do not experience the possible side effects. Some people are allerigic to either the active or inactive ingredients. Most people are not.

[sausage]

I have just bought some Regaine foam, woop woop, lets see if this stuff really works.

[Tracy C]

... lets see if this stuff really works.

Some words of advice... Run you hand under cold water to avoid the medicine melting in your hand before you can apply it to your scalp. Make sure to massage the medicine into your scalp and not into your hair. Focus your application of the medicine on your vertex and mid-anterior areas. You can dry the medicine off your fingers at your hair line if you want to. Then wash your hands.

Start slow and work your way up to the full twice per day dose. Use it only once per day every other day for two or three weeks. Then use it once per day every day for another two or three weeks. Then use it twice per day every day. After four to six months of using it twice per day every day, you should start seeing small peach fuzz hairs starting to grow. After about a full year of using it twice per day, those small peach fuzz hairs start looking like normal hairs. It takes time but if you stick with it, it should work. It worked great for me.

[topcat]

ZD something as simple as a small change in the formulation can cause devastating effects. Case in point I was using minoxidil about 30 years ago. Yes that’s right before it was approved like only a handful of others. I never experienced a problem. My experience has also included Xadrox 12.5% when it was first formulated and then I believe it went to 15% no problems. I used Peter Proctor’s formulation back in the 80’s no problem. But with Rogaine foam it was a complete horror show as the effect on my face was immediate and thankfully it went away shortly after stopping. I no longer use topicals as my experience is they are a waste of time and money but that is just my opinion.

I also suggest anyone looking for advice to ask the person giving it about their own experience along with their age and how long they have followed this industry as it means something.

[Tracy C]

I also suggest anyone looking for advice to ask the person giving it about their own experience along with their age and how long they have followed this industry as it means something.

I am the same age as Spencer. I have been using Minoxidil for over four years. I use Rogaine foam in the mornings and generic women's Minoxidil in the evenings. I have not experienced any side effects and I have regrown a lot of hair with Minoxidil. I have not been following the industry as long as you - but I am absolutely not a rookie about treating hair loss.

Obviously you have a problem with me. You have absolutely no legitimate reason to but you do anyways. Therefore I suggest that you don't even bother reading my posts. You seem to mis-read them anyways. I participate in this forum and the Women's Hair Loss Project forum because I want to give back in appreciation for all the help I have received from the American Hair Loss Association. My experience has been good - and sharing that good experience is every bit as important as the gripes you prefer to share. I am not going to stop trying to help others who have suffered with hereditary hair loss. So it would be best if you just pretend I don't even exist. I'm going to pretend you don't exist.

[topcat]

Tracy I think that anyone that repeatedly guides those in search of answers to a recommended list are misguided. I wouldn’t call it a problem it’s called an opinion. It doesn’t mean I find fault with the list owner or that it generates revenue as I could honestly care less. But I do know for a fact that the list does in fact have doctors that knowingly have caused damage not because they were trying to help someone but out of greed. There are just ways of doing things that protect the patient and put the patient’s well being before anything else. These things were not done and it’s not up to me to write about the experiences of others. I am very well aware of the difference between a poor outcome and plain negligence.

Using the list as part of one’s research seems like sound advice but only as part of their research which I never see stated. In my opinion the few clinics in the world that are at the very top in skill, patient care, and ethics are not even on the list.

I do not visit the forums to cheerlead as I simply view it as wasted effort when good results speak for themselves. So to each their own if that is your preference. I’m not here to paint a rosy picture I’m here because I believe it is important for me to share what I know with others. I could easily move on with the progress I have made and will continue to make in my own repair. But I have no intentions of taking that easy road and just walking away. It simply is not going to happen. It doesn’t mean I’m a pessimist quite the opposite as I use adversity to propel me forward. But I state reality which I’m sure many in the industry do not like to see.

I’m not big on material items in my life. I enjoy health, good nutrition, close family and friends as that is happiness for me. With that being said it is my every intention to help a few repair patients somehow, someway to right the wrongs that have been made by those in the industry that consider themselves doctors but in reality are whores to the almighty dollar. You see this is what happens when good intentions are paired with loads of cash often the later wins out. May what goes around come around and I’m sure it will.

And I agree it’s best for you to ignore my posts.

[HelpROGER]

Don’t worry about King Topcat Tracy C, he’s a bitter old hair transplant victim who wishes there were people like you around when he was first thinking about having a hair transplant. He was burnt by bad doctors and now thinks he knows everything there is to know about hair transplants and doctors. It’s a little sad really. That list and this site literally saved my life and I know for a fact, that this forum has helped more people then Topcat can ever hope to. You have a great attitude Tracy C and your positive and honest help is important. Don’t let King Topcat get to you. All hail King Topcat, King of the forums!

[topcat]

ZD here is something worth mentioning. We can go back 7-8 years ago and there were doctors on some of these forums that were actually recommending patients slather minoxidil all over their bodies daily for sometimes months before a bodyhair transplant and you can bet that those same doctors are on a recommended list although I will say not the one associated with this forum. Please tell me this is not negligence. The same goes on today with hair plucking, Acell and all the other crap. It’s just the way many in the ht industry work and as the casualties are long forgotten the pattern keeps repeating.

You will be hounded off the forums and no one will search for your message and that is just the way it is, so good luck if you decided to just move on.

[stressdfella]

gr8 ! Aftr propecia, nw i cnt use minox either

[sausage]

Been taking this minoxidil crap for a month now. Does not really cause me any issues as my hair is buzzed short and the foam version is so much better than the liquid version.

I think it does leave flakeyness on the scalp though, maybe I need to rub it in better :s

I expect nothing from this treatment. I expect to give it 6 months max and if nothing changes then I won't bother anymore.

Us hairloss sufferer's don't really have any other options, those guys at minoxidil must be laughing at us, raking in all our money.

[mpb47]

z06guy-

I first heard this from guys on the boards about 10 years ago. I think only under certain conditions it happens and is probably more rare than FIN sides.
I have used minox since about 96 or 97 and never had any issues until my health declined about 5 years ago. Also I think my problems were overuse as a bottle would only last me 2 weeks tops. I was having good results though.

Long story short:
For me 5% will cause problems- I switched to 2% and things got much better. Back in Nov I stopped completely for 3 months (for other heath reasons) and noticed even more improvements, but started losing too much hair so back on it. I was also recently put on T replacement which greatly speed up my crown loss so I starting using 5% again. Eye puffiness/etc started coming back so I use 2% most of the time and 5% a couple of times a week now and hoping for the best.

Switch to 2% and see if things improve. It doesn't grow as much hair but better than doing nothing.

[Zukias]

I've used minoxidil (not regaine) for 2 years and I've not noticed any noticeable side effects. Interestingly though, now it's been mentioned... my skin round the right temple is slightly rough. I don't notice the same with the left temple though. Surely both temples would be affected if it was the minoxidil causing that (since I use it on both temples).

But anyway, I always use my index fingers to spread the minoxidil after applying without washing my hands afterwards like you're supposed to (woops) and theres nothing wrong with the skin on my finger tips. Bearing in mind I've been doing this for 2 years now... leads me to believe it's a load of crap that it ages your skin.

[baldozer]

I am the same age as Spencer. I have been using Minoxidil for over four years. I use Rogaine foam in the mornings and generic women's Minoxidil in the evenings. I have not experienced any side effects and I have regrown a lot of hair with Minoxidil. I have not been following the industry as long as you - but I am absolutely not a rookie about treating hair loss.

Obviously you have a problem with me. You have absolutely no legitimate reason to but you do anyways. Therefore I suggest that you don't even bother reading my posts. You seem to mis-read them anyways. I participate in this forum and the Women's Hair Loss Project forum because I want to give back in appreciation for all the help I have received from the American Hair Loss Association. My experience has been good - and sharing that good experience is every bit as important as the gripes you prefer to share. I am not going to stop trying to help others who have suffered with hereditary hair loss. So it would be best if you just pretend I don't even exist. I'm going to pretend you don't exist.

Your attitude reminds me of the joke where a husband calls her wife saying, honey be careful, one driver is driving the wrong way, she replies, one? I can see hundreds of them !

[Borealis]

I've been applying Regaine for two months now, can't say I've noticed any skin aging tbh, infact I've had people comment on my skin looking better.

I have noticed a lot of new hairs sprouting but I'm pretty sure those were ones I lost during my shed anyway haha.