Rapid hair loss after using generic Minoxidil?

[LostWanderer]

I used a generic Minoxidil (5%) twice a day as directed for about 4-5 days. After seeing very marginal progress I stopped after reading horror stories of people losing their hair after stopping after months. This is not an ongoing or perpetual commitment but just a test trial. So after stopping for a day or two my hair started to fall out... I am on day three and almost all of my hair that was so treated has started to almost completely fall out including hair on the sides of my head... Male patterned baldness is genetic but the loss was gradual for all of us. Not rapid like this.

It seems like I used this product for too short of a time and too little time has passed since I stopped to see this kind of result... I am concerned that this is possibly something else.

What should I do? What should I anticipate?

[Tortoise]

Before you take anything or do anything to your hair, do research, a lot of research.

Nothing to stress too much about. It is common, with any hair restoration product, to see what is called "shedding" at the beginning of treatment. Hair is on a life cycle. The minoxidil can push the hair to the next step in the life cycle, so it sheds and gets ready to begin regrowing. Depending on the stage of balding, some sheds grow back, and some don't. There's no way to know for sure except just wait and see.

Hair restoration products require a perpetual commitment, don't start unless you're prepared to commit, and don't stop unless you're prepared for hair loss.

You might not want to start minoxidil again unless you're committed to it and only if you really think you need it. Don't stop and start and stop and start. Either do it or don't. Or else you might make the loss worse in the long run. If you choose to wait and not use it again for the time being, then the hair you think you've lost might come back in a few months. You'll have to be patient.

All the best.

[LostWanderer]

Before you take anything or do anything to your hair, do research, a lot of research.

Nothing to stress too much about. It is common, with any hair restoration product, to see what is called "shedding" at the beginning of treatment. Hair is on a life cycle. The minoxidil can push the hair to the next step in the life cycle, so it sheds and gets ready to begin regrowing. Depending on the stage of balding, some sheds grow back, and some don't. There's no way to know for sure except just wait and see.

Hair restoration products require a perpetual commitment, don't start unless you're prepared to commit, and don't stop unless you're prepared for hair loss.

You might not want to start minoxidil again unless you're committed to it and only if you really think you need it. Don't stop and start and stop and start. Either do it or don't. Or else you might make the loss worse in the long run. If you choose to wait and not use it again for the time being, then the hair you think you've lost might come back in a few months. You'll have to be patient.

All the best.

Thank you... as the week has progressed so has the rapid hair loss. I am starting to think I will be totally bald before the month is over... ¿Are you sure it will only be a few months before hair starts to grow back? Is it possible I am having an allergic reaction to the drug? At what point should I spend the money to see a doctor and should I try to go directly to a dermatologist?

[Tortoise]

Can we be absolutely sure that hair will grow back in a few months? No, not absolutely sure. All that you can get is educated guesses based on averages and other people's experiences. Severe stress can extend the "resting" phase of the hair cycle. So for your hair, your physical health, and your mental well being, manage/reduce your stressors and if you can't get rid of stressors, then balance it out with nutritious food, exercise, good and regular sleep, relaxation, and fun. Here is some info on the life cycle of hair: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_fo...llicle_cycling

As for allergic reaction, I don't know, but unlikely. Again, just a best guess. If you didn't get any other symptoms of allergic reaction, then it's probably a safe bet that any loss you had is natural "shedding". Do some google searches on shedding and minoxidil and you'll find out that it is very common and is thought by many as a good sign, because it is pushing the hair through the cycles to begin a new anagen phase. ...I think. I'm no expert.

At what point should you go to a doctor? That's entirely up to you. If you think there is something wrong, or your feeling ill, or you feel you need a doctor, then go see one. If you think that you're just reacting to anxiety over hair loss and perceiving the situation as much worse than it is (it is really easy for us all to do this from time to time), then do something about settling the mind and grounding yourself, maybe do some meditation each day, or if it's really severe, talk to a therapist or something. With a lot of hair restoration, there is a period where it can get worse before it gets better. While it is in the "worse" period, it sucks, but you'll get through it. It might help not to catastrophise worst case scenarios that haven't even happened. Best of luck.