Rogaine/Mino Users Answer Some Questions!

[Username1234]

My hair has been slowly thinning over the past year. It's probably not even noticeable to most, but it definitely is to me and to girls that get close up to my head and play with my hair. I want to catch it before it's noticeable and hopefully even gain some back.

I've tried Propecia (Finpecia, actually) and I couldn't tell if I was getting sexual sides so I stopped - twice. I might try it later down the line (because I was having some other issues - stress mostly - that could have been causing them) but I've been thinking about getting on Mino for a while now. I just had a few questions:

1. I have long, straight hair (not super long, but long in comparison to most people that use the product probably). I was thinking about using the foam. Can I just get this, part my hair a bunch and rub it in, or maybe not even part and just rub it in? The foam seems much easier to apply than any other types.
2. How did you deal with the fact that you are now tied to this for your whole life, and if you stop for a week you'll go bald? This has been freaking me out the most, it's basically a lifetime commitment and I'm worried I couldn't keep up with it. I'm trying to think of it like brushing my teeth but it freaks me out to think that if I go on vacation or something and forget to bring it that I could start losing my hair again.
3. How much do you think about the fact that you need this product to have your hair? Does it stress you out?
4. How many of you are also on some kind of Propecia?

I've been thinking about this for quite some time now and I'm just nervous about making a lifetime commitment that I'd need to stick to every day or it will all start falling out. Am I being unrealistic or overstressing about this? How fast does it fall out if you miss for like a week?

[doinmyheadin]

Rogaine wont do jack all without propecia. Get on propecia first then you can add rogaine after 12 months or so.

Most people would be thinking the same thoughts before getting on rogaine and propecia about having to do it every day. Once you get on them it is actually quite easy it just becomes routine.
You could buy 3 months supply of 5% liquid and 3 months supply of foam. This will then last you 6 months. Use the liquid at night as it spreads into scalp maybe a bit easier ( or you know you have got it everywhere onto scalp area).
Then use the foam in the morning.

But you are wasting your time if you dont use propecia. Hopefully something else comes to market soon, but the more hair you keep now the better off you will be, if/when a better treatment comes.

[kanyon]

I disagree with the post above. I had excellent results with minox alone for 7 years. That's how long it works for. So it's not a lifetime commitment, it's a commitment for as long as it works. And you can skip using it for days or weeks once you've done the hard yards for the first year or so.

[melwou7245]

I agree. I've been using generic 5% Minox and nizshampoo for just over 3 months and I've gotten amazing results. Those two combined with Propecia are usually referred to as the "Big 3" - all of them help fight your hair loss in different ways, so using them together is the closest you're going to get without resorting to surgery.

Just about applying the minox - it has to be absorbed by your SCALP, not your hair. That's why you need to purchase a dripper and forget about the spray attachment they usually include. A trick I use is pushing the dripper through my hair instead of parting my hair and dripping it on the exposed skin. Only catch is I keep my hair relatively short. Just make sure you get the product on your scalp and it'll do the rest. Otherwise try to apply it when you've towel dried your hair after a shower - a wet scalp absorbs it several times better than a dry scalp.

[Username1234]

What do you mean it only works for 7 years? Then it just completely stops working and I'd go bald again if I don't get on Propecia?

[kanyon]

What do you mean it only works for 7 years? Then it just completely stops working and I'd go bald again if I don't get on Propecia?

Well that's what's happened to me. Although I'm not 100% sure that it stopped working because I built an immunity/tolerance or because I used it inconsistently. Either way it's a very shitty situation.

Although some people would probably be quite satisfied if they could rock a full head of hair for 7 more years after thinning badly at the age of 20.