Restarting Minoxidil Liquid After 3 1/2 Months

[olt327]

I'm a 25-year-old man. About five months ago, I switched from Minoxidil liquid to Minoxidil foam. I've been on Minoxidil for about two years, and had very good results with some regrowth--although at that point, most of the loss was on my hairline, which had more or less stabilized. I've also been on Propecia for about a year and a half.

After 3 1/2 months on the foam, I noticed some dramatic shedding--my hairline had lost a little bit, but, worse, my hair had thinned over my entire head, to the point that I can see my scalp all over when I get out of the shower. A bald spot has been developing in the back of my head. Two years ago, when I started Minoxidil, there was a tiny bit of bald spot in the back, but that filled in. This is already quite a bit bigger than that was, though.

I read online that, since my hair is a little bit long--about three inches on the top, and curly--the foam might not have been reaching the scalp.

So, about a month and a half ago, I switched back to liquid, but my hair is still shedding dramatically. When I shower, every time I run my fingers through my hair, I get about 20 hairs, over and over again. And I've noticed strands of hair on my computer at work during the day.

My question is how long will it be before I stop shedding, and thus stop getting worse, and will I start (and when) to regain density now that I'm back on Minoxidil liquid, especially considering that I was still on Propecia and Minoxidil foam during the beginning of this year?

Thanks for your help!

[olt327]

Any thoughts?

[olt327]

Anyone have any advice or comment to offer? Been a few weeks since I last posted, been two months since I restarted the liquid and I'm still shedding dramatically. Really getting concerned because it's not stopping or slowing... My hair is quite a bit thinner than it was even a month ago.

[PatientlyWaiting]

I find myself being the only one responding to some threads, it's sad. I have not seen this thread, or else I would have said something. Sorry that you have not gotten any help here at all, that is just sad.

How long have you been shedding? It's not a good idea to change things up in your treatment when you see that is working. That is the worst thing you could do.

If you are still on Propecia and minoxidil, and you are shedding, then it could just be the "shed" that people experience on these hair loss treatments.

[olt327]

Thanks so much for responding! Much appreciated, obviously.

I changed to foam because the Costco near my house stopped selling the liquid and I figured it wouldn't make much of a difference with the same active ingredient. I'd switched between generic brands of liquid before with no change. Didn't change anything with Propecia.

Been shedding continuously since the middle-end of March, which was a little over three months after I switched from liquid to foam (which fits with the timeline for post-minoxidil sheds, I guess). But I switched back to liquid about a week or so after I started shedding because I figured something had to go wrong and I wanted to limit the damage. But shedding hasn't let up at all, even after being back on liquid minoxidil for two months, which is the most unsettling part.

[Widowmaker]

My initial thoughts are that you should stick with the liquid. Going back, you had good results with the liquid. Might as well concentrate on what's working/worked in the past rather than what could possibly happen in the future as far as sheds. I've never had a shed on Minox nor Fin/Dut...and haven't experienced regrowth. I suspect a shed is a good sign things are working, but it could also mean genetic loss has reached a point that it overpowers meds. Either way, stick with what has worked in the past...That way, at the very least, you can take comfort you did everything you could rather than live in regret.

At 25 (10 years ago) I was a NW 2, maybe 2.5. I went on Fin at 32 and Dut 5 months ago. Now I'm still a 2.5. I wish I had more hair, but I'd be happy to maintain because by comparison most of my peers are loosing ground and have caught up to me. Point is, your hair may stabilize as well. Even if you experience no regrowth, maintenance may be well worth it.

[olt327]

Yeah, I'm definitely happy to maintain what I had two months ago--I am (was?) a NW2.5 as well, but my hair's kind of shaggy and curly, so it looks like a full head of hair even now (until I pull it back to the scalp and see how few hairs there are in places, or when it gets wet). Hoping that the shed is just the shock from going off and then going back on and will fill itself in at least somewhat over the next couple months, because I think the timing seems too exact and the shed too dramatic to just be the meds losing potency, but we'll see.

Thanks for your help!

[clandestine]

Prepare for shed when switching medication types, maybe.

[donteverstopminox]

Hey olt327,

How long did it take for your shedding to stop? And did getting back on minox help bring you back to where you were? I'm dying to get find smt on the web about restarting minox. I stopped using minox for 2 months and man, i've been shedding for 4 consecutive months now -- 60-100 strands in the shower every day. Please share your story!

Thanks!