Rogaine Opinions

[InitialStages]

Hey,

I am new to this forum and I just had a few questions about Rogaine and hair restoration. I know these topics are constantly referenced on these sights so I apologize for bringing them back up.

BACKGROUND. I am a 30 year old and my hair is beginning to thin at the crown - but not the temples and no recession. There is no bald spot, but the hair (in the words of the dermatologist) is "losing its density."

I know that finasteride (Propecia) is the best treatment for this (and every) type of hair loss, but I do not want to risk the side effects so my two questions are as follows:

1.) Does Rogaine work? I know it is FDA approved so it must work in some regard, but how successful is it? I hear that it restores "hair in 86% of people." Is this so? Will it help me hold onto my hair? Or, restore it? (Either one is acceptable.)

2.) How bad is the shedding phase? Right now my hair loss is not very noticeable, will I endure a bald patch time period? Should I shave my head (or take it lower) in the early stages so it less noticeable?



Thanks for all of the help, I really appreciate it.

[Tracy C]

1.) Does Rogaine work?

Yes Rogaine works for most people who use it. However Rogaine does not stop the loss. Rogaine only stimulates regrowth. So it's effectiveness for males is limited - if he is unwilling to take the medicine that can stop the loss.

If you are unwilling to take Propecia or generic Finasteride, at least take a good quality Saw Palmetto complex. You can find this at your local pharmacy in the vitamin and supplements isle. Please note that I said complex and not straight Saw Palmetto. Most of the supplements you read about are not going to help you in any meaningful way. The only supplement that might have a chance of helping you would be a good quality Saw Palmetto complex. Don't waste your time, money and hair on anything else.

2.) How bad is the shedding phase?

This is different for everyone. You can reduce the impact of the shedding by tapering up to the full twice a day dose slowly over time.

Also consider washing your hair with Nizoral A-D shampoo once or twice per week in place of your regular shampoo. If you haven't already switched out your regular shampoo and conditioner for sulfate free shampoo and conditioner, now would be a good time to do that as well.

[mpb47]

Hey,

I am new to this forum and I just had a few questions about Rogaine and hair restoration. I know these topics are constantly referenced on these sights so I apologize for bringing them back up.

BACKGROUND. I am a 30 year old and my hair is beginning to thin at the crown - but not the temples and no recession. There is no bald spot, but the hair (in the words of the dermatologist) is "losing its density."

I know that finasteride (Propecia) is the best treatment for this (and every) type of hair loss, but I do not want to risk the side effects so my two questions are as follows:

1.) Does Rogaine work? I know it is FDA approved so it must work in some regard, but how successful is it? I hear that it restores "hair in 86% of people." Is this so? Will it help me hold onto my hair? Or, restore it? (Either one is acceptable.)

2.) How bad is the shedding phase? Right now my hair loss is not very noticeable, will I endure a bald patch time period? Should I shave my head (or take it lower) in the early stages so it less noticeable?



Thanks for all of the help, I really appreciate it.

I can only tell you how it worked for me as I have been on it about 15 years now.

1: It depends on how aggressive your hair loss is. Over the years I have had both very aggressive and very gradual mild loss. Mostly very gradual. When it was aggressive like when it first started on my crown, rogaine was not enough and my crown continued to develop like I was using nothing at all.
About a year and a half -2 years later I started on propecia and 1 year later my crown thin spot had shrunk by 50-75%. All was good for about 4 years then I started getting sides and had to get off. I lost hair but was able to keep about 50%-60% of what propecia gave me on rogaine alone. I maintained that for about 6 years but now recently it appears my crown is starting to slowly expand once again. I can only guess, but I believe my mpb will slowly win out if I don't go back on propecia. At the end of this month I am having some tests done and afterwords I am going to use small infrequent amounts of propecia and hope for the best.

Bottom line for some people rogaine will buy you a lot of time but I don't think it can stop mpb forever even if you have the gradual kind of mpb.
For that matter I doubt propecia will last forever but again, will just buy you more time. Good luck!

[mattj]

If you've fully ruled out Finasteride then that's that and I won't try and convince you to change your mind.

Rogaine can work very well on the crown. If you were experiencing frontal loss it probably wouldn't help very much, but for minor crown loss you could see real improvement. It's worth a try, but remember it does take time to work and you must commit to using it or else the benefits are lost.

[InitialStages]

Thanks for all of the responses, I guess I am worried because my hair loss is barely noticeable right now, so I am worried about Rogaine causing my hair to fall out and then losing the last year, or so, that I had left.

Also, I do not need this to work the rest of my life, I am not as concerned if I am bald in my late thirties...I would just like to extend it another few years...

What do you think? Is it worth the risk?

On a side note, I had almost figured it might be better just to finance a hair transplant if it got worse. What are the average monthly rates on paying off the transoplant? (Keeping in mind that I would only need a small one and I know it would only buy me a few more years without propecia.)

Thank you everyone.

[Tracy C]

On a side note, I had almost figured it might be better just to finance a hair transplant if it got worse. What are the average monthly rates on paying off the transoplant? (Keeping in mind that I would only need a small one and I know it would only buy me a few more years without propecia.)

There is no such thing as a small transplant to fill in the crown. However much hair you think you need to fill in that area, you actually need a whole lot more than you think. The crown area is literally a black hole for grafts. You would be wasting your money and your hair.

The medications that are currently available do work and the possible side effects rarely actually happen. If you are unwilling to treat your hair loss, it would be best for you to learn how to accept your hair loss and live your life to the fullest without hair. It can be done. Many men have done it for thousands of years.

[Cr779]

There is no such thing as a small transplant to fill in the crown. However much hair you think you need to fill in that area, you actually need a whole lot more than you think. The crown area is literally a black hole for grafts. You would be wasting your money and your hair.

The medications that are currently available do work and the possible side effects rarely actually happen. If you are unwilling to treat your hair loss, it would be best for you to learn how to accept your hair loss and live your life to the fullest without hair. It can be done. Many men have done it for thousands of years.

Tracy I know this is a little off topic but I just want to point something out. I know you have a lot of problems with people who attack you on this forum. I just want to clarify that you're a great help and a lot of us appreciate what you do here. But sometimes your wording could really be better, by saying someone is "unwilling to treat their hairloss" when they refuse to use Propecia it paints a really hostile tone. As a 21 year old who used to have long curly hair it was 90% of what people commented about me, it was my identity. I am in no way "unwilling" to treat my hairloss. I would hunt and kill a bear with my own hands if that would solve it. I understand that by not using Propecia you are "technically" unwilling, but the word strikes a certain nerve with me and probably most guys. Propecia presents a risk that goes beyond "unwilling" it's not being afraid, its just that loosing your manhood is simply NOT an option for some people, the drug may as well not exist. Hell I say this because I'm taking Propecia, I have no sides but I had an epiphany one day and it hit me clear as day and hard, the insanity of taking this drug that could potentially as rare as it is destroy my sex life five ten even fifteen years from now. This scared me so much I gave myself psychologically inflicted ED for about a week. I can tell you in that week I understood some of the anger, frustration and shame that someone would feel were it permanent, which there are Chrisis is a perfect example of someone still feeling the effects, someone who never assumed he would be the oh so rare example.

Because as you're not a man you can't really understand what it feels like to have your genitalia threatened in that way, the inability to become erect or perform in a male way or any specifically male related aspect to sex. I say this not to argue but to suggest that sometimes you word some aspects of your post better because I would love to see you and some of the member here get along better so that we can be a more supportive and informative community.

[Tracy C]

But sometimes your wording could really be better, by saying someone is "unwilling to treat their hairloss" when they refuse to use Propecia it paints a really hostile tone.

No hostility is, was or will ever be intended. Helping him accept the reality of hereditary hair loss is all that is intended.

[Cr779]

No hostility is, was or will ever be intended. Helping him accept the reality of hereditary hair loss is all that is intended.

Sorry, I should have clarified I understand you never intend hostility, just that many might see the word used that way, and that the word itself could be replaced for another one. Since like I said "unwilling" strikes a certain nerve with me, hostile or no, and I'm willing to bet it does to others. Others who may not appreciate the advice you offer on the forum and try to start yet another flame war.