Rogaine Foam

[Tracy C]

Walmart also has a generic 5% foam available now. I was planning to use it when I ran out of Rogaine foam - but then Rogaine started this rebate promotion again so I am going to stick with the name brand for a while longer since the cost savings between the generic 5% foam and name brand Rogaine foam is insignificant during rebate promotions. I have been lucky about catching these rebate promotions. I have yet to pay full price for Rogaine foam.

2% Minoxidil foam is not available in the U.S. as far as I know, at least not from legitimate sources. It might be available on the internet grey market but I don't shop there because they usually price gouge everything.

[Frank]

I've read a number of HT docs say they put their patients on Propecia before a HT to reduce shock loss. They claim its pretty effective. Why that would be I don't know, But I'll ask one and get back with the answer.

With diffuse thinning HT doctors are more likely to damage nearby follicles because of the close proximity causing shock loss. Which makes perfect sense. Women usually have diffuse thinning.

The laser does seem to improve hair quality.
From what I remember the reason for the confusion regarding FDA approval is at the time Lexington never released it's efficacy studies presented to the FDA to the public as they did for safety. I haven't followed it so they may have since.
I have seen doctors review magnified photos of increased hair counts by Lexington only to find when they counted them, there was no increase.

[Frank]

Follow up to Propecia for shock loss by a top HT doc in LA.

The appearance of Propecia on the market in the early days clearly changed the course of hair loss after transplant surgery. We have extensive experience both before and after Propecia became available. In the days before Propecia, I can tell you that the accelerated hair loss after surgery was a real problem which I had to confront, and I frequently chased the hair loss after the first transplant. After the drug was introduced, the accelerated hair loss on patients with Propecia seemed to disappear.

The important idea is that when a patient is on Propecia it is working on the DHT susceptible hairs. Thus when a hair is transplanted in those areas, Propecia will still be ‘helping’ to sustain the native hairs. We do not know the mechanism, but we can postulate that hairs that have been exposed to Propecia seem to be more resilient.

Finally, you do not have to be on Propecia to have hair transplant surgery, particularly if you are above the age of 40-50, have had a stable hair loss pattern that has not advanced in the past 10 years, or have had a recent hair transplant in the previous 2-3 years without experiencing accelerated hair loss.