After more than 2 weeks of minoxidil

[atomikus]

I started using minoxidil 5% from kirkland almost 2 months ago and i cant see any results except tons of large pieces of dandruff. Im still loosing hair a lot.

So is it true that after 2 weeks and no result at all, i should stop using minoxidil?
thx

 

[Jm0311]

yes

 

[rcom440]

no..
I believe minoxidil can maintain your hair. It may not grow your hair back but it may stop the hair loss.

 

[Bryan]

I believe minoxidil can maintain your hair. It may not grow your hair back but it may stop the hair loss.

(sobbing hysterically)

Everything I've said for years now about the "offset of growth" from minoxidil, just flush it ALL down the toilet. Somebody just shoot me in the head, and get it over with...

 

[Quantum Cat]

minoxidil won't maintain, only finasteride or dutasteride can do that.

I think you have to give minoxidil a good few months before you see any results.

 

[squeegee]

minoxidil is the sh*t! 2 weeks WTF? uke:

 

[decro435]

yes

no..
I believe minoxidil can maintain your hair. It may not grow your hair back but it may stop the hair loss.

See this is the problem with online forums such as this one. People who don't have a clue what they are talking about decide to mis-inform people. Everyone should take what they hear from this site with a pinch of salt.

Also, people like the person who asked this question should read the instructions of his minoxidil formulation using it. It clearly says on every minoxidil formulation that you should wait at least 6 months before assessing your condition. Minoxidil is a stimulant. In theory it will maintain because it causes regrowth and therefore those hairs will not die. You will see a shed.

People need to read instructions and think for themsleves sometimes.

 

[atomikus]

Well ofcourse i wasnt expecting my hair to regrow in 2 week. But theres something i read on rogaine page:

15. I just started using ROGAINE® and I’ve noticed that my hair loss has increased. Is this typical?

ROGAINE® stimulates hair follicles to shift from the resting phase to the growth phase. Thus, it is not uncommon to see a temporary increase in shedding during the first 2 weeks using ROGAINE®. This occurs in some people as the new hair pushes out the weak hairs, when the hair follicle shifts into the growth phase. It is very much like losing baby teeth to make room for adult teeth. This increase in shedding is only temporary and should subside within a couple of weeks with continued treatment. Please note, however, if increased shedding continues for longer than 2 weeks, you should consult your doctor to rule out other possible medical problems.

Please note, however, if increased shedding continues for longer than 2 weeks, you should consult your doctor to rule out other possible medical problems.

That is why i am asking.

 

[Bryan]

Minoxidil is a stimulant. In theory it will maintain because it causes regrowth and therefore those hairs will not die.

I give up. Someone just go ahead and put a bullet in my head.

 

[casperz]

I give up. Someone just go ahead and put a bullet in my head.

LOL

 

[casperz]

I did not see anything till about day 70 and then it became
very noticeable. I would not stop at 2 weeks.

I also had big flakes of dandruff that I never had before.

 

[atomikus]

Tnx casperz that was the thing i needed to hear.

 

[rcom440]

I don't know why Brian is being annoyed but after I started using minoxidil my hair loss stopped. IT STOPED!!! and I don't care what other people say about minoxidil. I'm just telling my experience....

 

[Quantum Cat]

unless you're preventing the damage that DHT does, minoxidil will only work for a limited time. It can't stimulate growth if there's nothing to stimulate.

 

[Bryan]

I don't know why Brian is being annoyed but after I started using minoxidil my hair loss stopped. IT STOPED!!!

No, it only appeared to stop, because of the extra offset of growth that you got from the minoxidil. I hate to say it, but it will only be a temporary effect. As the fundamental balding process continues, it will eventually eat into that offset of growth. I suggest you also start Propecia, or some other treatment which actually _does_ slow/stop the balding process.

 

[rcom440]

well. It stopped for over 2 years so I don't know how temporary it is. It seems working to me. It's over 2 years and I don't see any progress of the hair loss. 2 years is a long time!!!!

Bryan, what other treatment do you suggest ? I don't want to take Propecia.

 

[Bryan]

well. It stopped for over 2 years so I don't know how temporary it is. It seems working to me. It's over 2 years and I don't see any progress of the hair loss. 2 years is a long time!!!!

Yes, but don't let that fool you into assuming that it's the minoxidil that's necessarily maintaining your hair! Many of us can think of people we know who seem to reach a certain point in their balding, and then maintain that level for a period of time, without using any treatment at all. It definitely can happen.

But it's very very common for long-term topical minoxidil studies to show a gradual decline in results over time. Here are a couple of graphs from Vera Price's excellent 1999 study of topical minoxidil:

http://www.geocities.com/bryan50001/quitting-minoxidil.htm

As you can see yourself, there was a gradual decline in hair weights (which are more consistent and more reliable than hair counts) in the treated patients, once they had passed their initial surge of growth after starting treatment. Dr. Price herself commented in the study that those patients treated with minoxidil appeared to be declining at about the same rate as the ones getting the placebo, so she coined the phrase "offset of growth" to describe the effect of topical minoxidil: balding still continues at about the same rate, even if it gives you that extra spurt of growth. It buys you some extra time, in other words.

Bryan, what other treatment do you suggest ? I don't want to take Propecia.

You could try topical spironolactone, which has a modest antiandrogenic effect. Using Nizoral shampoo may have an antiandrogenic effect, too. Revivogen may be helpful, too, although it's messy and expensive.

If money is not a concern for you, you could consider Proxiphen, which may be the most effective of all. Dr. Proctor (the brains behind Proxiphen) has made the bold statement that Proxiphen is "unquestionably more effective than finasteride alone", and I have no particular reason to doubt his judgement. It's expensive, though. A compromise would be Prox-N, which is cheaper and over-the-counter.

 

[rcom440]

Thanks Brian. I think I will try Nizoral shampoo because I read a lot of good things about it. I think I will stay on minoxidil because whatever it does it stopped my hair loss or slowed it dramatically, or maybe like you said I reached that level of hair loss and it just slowed on its own. Who knows, but it doesnt bother me to use minoxidil. I'm only using it at night, once a day.
I'm on norwood scale around 2.5.. I have no problem with Vertex.
I will read more about Proxiphen..
I just read that Proxiphen contains minoxidil !!! ;]
I just checked, it's not that expensive...