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  1. #1
    Junior Member
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    Sep 2019
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    Default Regaine foam 5% and itchy spots? Alternatives?

    Hi all,

    I've been following this forum for a while and I have now registered to ask you all about your experience with Regaine foam 5%.

    I've used it for more than a year, but I've now decided to stop it because my forehead and the back of my head had unusual itchy spots.
    I used to put Regaine only on the top, but the fact is that since I've stopped, they have disappeared. Could it be allergy to some of the ingredients?

    I read that the liquid version of Regaine could give similar problems because of the glycole, but the foam doesn't have glycole, so my question is if anyone else has experienced the same and if yes what alternatives have you found.

    I'd also like to add that every now and then I had other strange symptoms, like some discomfort in the chest area or tingling, although it looks like this was due to vitamins deficiency that I've now solved.

    I'll be grateful to read your comments.

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Atlanta, GA, New York, NY
    Posts
    379

    Default

    The primary ingredient, which people seem to be sensitive to, in the solution is propylene glycol. This is what makes the product greasy. Irritations to this ingredient are quite common in the form of skin rashes and itching. The foam has Cetyl alcohol and glycerol. These were introduced to get around the propylene glycol sensitivity perhaps. Yet, many seem sensitive to the new ingredients. You could also be sensitive to minoxidil. One can develop a hypersensitivity (allergy) to almost anything. You might try the solution as an alternative once you heal. I'd wait a few weeks to introduce the solution. If you react to this, try oral minoxidil (5mg per day for men and 1.25 mg per day for women).

    If you are experiencing hair loss, you really must consider doing something to both maintain your hair and grow hair. Hair loss is nothing more than accelerated aging of hair follicles. All men and all women begin to thin or lose hair at age 35. Everyone gets old and hair is one part of the body that ages. Hair just ages much faster in those with androgenic alopecia.

    It is a disservice to perform hair restoration without promoting ways to slow and reverse hair loss. You need to begin as early as possible. If you start when you are 89, don't expect to look 50 when you are 90. Start as soon as possible. You will help maintain your youth when you begin as early as possible. Once follicles are lost, you can't expect to get them back. Thus, you must begin when you are young, before they die off. All cells cycle. Hair follicles are no different. Each hair follicle has a limited number of cycles. Once you reach the critical number of cycles, you will lose stem cells and they cannot be replaced with today's technology.

    The goal is to prolong each cycle. You want to keep follicles in the growing phase as long as possible and out of the resting phase. Inflammation sets in during the resting phase and this attacks stem cells. Eventually, the inflammation kills off vital stem cells necessary for follicle regrowth. This all has to do with telomere shortening.

    So what can we do? Rogaine or Regaine, oral finasteride, topical finasteride, oral dutasteride, topical dutasteride, good PRP, CRP (lysed platelets from your blood or off the shelf), amniotic membrane, adipose stem cells from your fat, and exosomes. There is a progressive increase in price for each category. Amniotic membrane and exoxomes are both biologics derived from fetal placenta and amniotic fluid respectively. Exosomes are perhaps the most potent ingredient in each so consider going right to the top provided you are motivated and the price does not influence your decision. Then there is also cord blood, which is also a biologic.

    There are are a couple of minor players that are plant based such as saw palmetto and methyl vannilate (WNT Act). These are minor players, but they are functional to a smaller degree.

    The main thing to remember is that your hair will fall out progressively over time. You have to do something to slow the process. Consider all options carefully within the scope of your budget. Yet, do something. Personally, I consider minoxidil options at the bottom of the option list in terms of efficacy, but it is better than nothing.

  3. #3
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Posts
    7

    Default

    Many thanks Doctor,

    I must say, I didn't know about some of the therapies you've mentioned below, apart from PRP and the usual finasteride and minoxidil.
    I would try and refrain from doing anything surgical (that involves PRP too) at the moment. I'm keeping the situation under control and still have a head full of hair.

    I'd like to ask you whether topical finasteride would be equally effective as that would avoid requiring the liver to metabolise the finasteride pill (I've had some slightly high values in the LFTs recently and some discomfort felt in the liver area which urged me to temporarily stop finasteride).

    Also for this reason, I must say I'm worried about trying oral minoxidil to avoid circulatory problems and the like. I'd rather try again with something topical which at least is external and the absorption from the body is minimal.

    Thanks.

  4. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Atlanta, GA, New York, NY
    Posts
    379

    Default

    From my experience, topical finasteride mixed with topical minoxidil works far better than oral finasteride combined with topical minoxidil with fewer side effects. You just need to locate a compounding pharmacy. There is a good one outside of Milan, Italy. You could begin with 0.1% finasteride and work your way up to 1% or 2.5% if needed.

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