Advice sought for Rogaine user

[Vila364]

Hi,
I am a new member and wanted to start off by giving you some introductory information about myself. I am currently 40 years old and started losing hair from my temples from the age of 26. Within a year I had lost all of my hair in the temple region. Since then I have slowly but surely been thinning all over the rest of my head in the classic MPB shape. I started taking Propecia when I was 35 when I started to see the top thinning through my ‘buzz cut’. Since then Propecia has definitely helped me to keep what I had. Although I have lost a little bit each year I am very sure it is better than if I had not been taking Propecia – I even have some regrowth on my temples!

6 months ago I started on Rogaine Extra Strength liquid. Although it is difficult to distinguish from my natural slow yearly MPB hair reduction I am wondering if my hair loss is increasing since taking this product. Since I have a 'buzz cut' I can’t really see evidence of ‘The Shed’ (hair in my hands after washing etc) and can only go by what I see on my head.

Looking through the forum there seems to be 2 schools of thought with regards to Rogaine:
1. “It works and shedding is part of the process – stick with it and you’ll be fine”
2. “I know the theory but I’ve been shedding and thinning for months now – it’s making things worse!”

I am not a doctor but from the theory I can only see 2 possible outcomes for Rogaine – either it works for you and you get regrowth and/or your existing hairs get thicker OR it doesn’t work for you and you don’t experience anything. Logically I can’t see how product such as Rogaine can cause shedding without eventual regrowth. In the most extreme case I could only see a situation where a very sickly hair just about the die is ‘released’ by the Rogaine and then not regrown. In this case then you are surely only going to lose a hair that you were going to lose in a few months anyway!

Given the risk of me being in the second category of people I have read about in the forums I am going to reduce the dose of Rogaine down to once per day (the forums are pretty clear that you shouldn’t just stop but rather slowly reduce).

My question is whether Rogaine can cause hair loss longer term (and not just temporarily via ‘The Shed’)? Or is the worst that can happen is a neutral response (either a lot of shedding and 1 for 1 regrowth or no impact at all)?

[Tracy C]

Logically I can’t see how product such as Rogaine can cause shedding without eventual regrowth.

You need to re-read those post and determine which ones are coming from males who are using this medicine on there temples and hair line. Then separate those from the males who are using Rogaine properly, on there vertex and mid-anterior areas.

Most males cannot regrow lost temple hair. This is because most males are genetically programmed to loose their temple hair and develop an adult mature male hair line. This is especially true of caucasion males. When a male uses this medication on his hair line, he can accelerate that natural and normal process. Some males can regrow some of the hair in their temples and hair line, but most males cannot. This does not apply to most females BTW, because most females do not develop an adult mature male hair line. A female can use Rogaine anywhere on her scalp, because the medicine is equally effective anywhere on her scalp. For males, this medicine is most effective in the vertex and mid-anterior.

In the most extreme case I could only see a situation where a very sickly hair just about the die is ‘released’ by the Rogaine and then not regrown.

This is kinda, sorta almost correct. When talking about temple hair in males, it is not an extreme case but instead the norm. You will read over and over again from one young male or another that "Rogaine destroyed my hair line". Well, that is not true. Rogaine did not destroy his hair line, genetics destroyed his hair line. Using Rogaine on his hair line simply sped up the process of developing his natural and normal adult mature male hair line. Basically, he sped up a process he was already going through. It really is just that simple.

[Vila364]

You need to re-read those post and determine which ones are coming from males who are using this medicine on there temples and hair line. Then separate those from the males who are using Rogaine properly, on there vertex and mid-anterior areas.

Most males cannot regrow lost temple hair. This is because most males are genetically programmed to loose their temple hair and develop an adult mature male hair line. This is especially true of caucasion males. When a male uses this medication on his hair line, he can accelerate that natural and normal process. Some males can regrow some of the hair in their temples and hair line, but most males cannot. This does not apply to most females BTW, because most females do not develop an adult mature male hair line. A female can use Rogaine anywhere on her scalp, because the medicine is equally effective anywhere on her scalp. For males, this medicine is most effective in the vertex and mid-anterior.





This is kinda, sorta almost correct. When talking about temple hair in males, it is not an extreme case but instead the norm. You will read over and over again from one young male or another that "Rogaine destroyed my hair line". Well, that is not true. Rogaine did not destroy his hair line, genetics destroyed his hair line. Using Rogaine on his hair line simply sped up the process of developing his natural and normal adult mature male hair line. Basically, he sped up a process he was already going through. It really is just that simple.

Thanks for your reply Tracy. Since I am not seeing any regrowth following my use of Rogaine I am thinking of stopping using it. Is there any problem with stopping? Will this induce a large shed? I was using it twice a day for the last 6 months and over the last week I have used it once a day.

[Tracy C]

Since I am not seeing any regrowth following my use of Rogaine I am thinking of stopping using it. Is there any problem with stopping?

Since you have only been using the medicine for six months, it would a better idea to stick it out for the full year. It takes about four to six months to be able to tell if the medicine is working for you, but it takes 12 to 18 months to gain anything that is cosmetically significant. If you do not have good quality photos of before and after your first six month period, it is almost impossible to really tell if you are gaining benefit from using the medicine.

Stopping abruptly is a really bad idea. If you ant to stop using it, taper off of it slowly over time.

[Vila364]

Thanks Tracy. In terms of taper what would you recommend? From twice a day down to once a day for a month and then once every other day for a month and then zero? Or something else?

Thanks again

[Tracy C]

Taper off slower than that. Alternate between once a day and twice a day for one full bottle. Then once a day for one full bottle. Then once a day every other day for one full bottle. Then once day every few days for one full bottle. Keep doing that until you are using it once day once a week. After that final full bottle, stop.

[Amercancer]

Hello Tracy, I would like some thoughts also pleas. Ive noticed scars on mid sides then went to Derm. and he just looked and touched my hair and told me to use rogaine and said don't use fin cause of sides. Been on rogaine for one year. I wasn't shedding b4 starting it just nickle size spots. But now alot thinner and lots of shedding. Don't know what to do.

[Amercancer]

[QUOTE=Amercancer;79518]Hello Tracy, I would like some thoughts also pleas. Ive noticed scars on mid sides then went to Derm. and he just looked and touched my hair and told me to use rogaine and said don't use fin cause of sides. Been on rogaine for one year. I wasn't shedding b4 starting it just nickle size spots. But now alot thinner and lots of shedding. Don't know what to do. I apply foam mainly on mid scalp cause that's where it's thinning now. Thanx

[Tracy C]

Don't know what to do.

Find a different doctor. It is best to see a doctor who specializes in treating hair loss.

[dex89]

[QUOTE=Amercancer;79519]

Hello Tracy, I would like some thoughts also pleas. Ive noticed scars on mid sides then went to Derm. and he just looked and touched my hair and told me to use rogaine and said don't use fin cause of sides. Been on rogaine for one year. I wasn't shedding b4 starting it just nickle size spots. But now alot thinner and lots of shedding. Don't know what to do. I apply foam mainly on mid scalp cause that's where it's thinning now. Thanx

where are you thinning? you should still use rogaine, add propecia and spiro 5% into your regime. Are you using nizoral? if not, buy some has well and use it twice a week.