Couple of minoxidil questions

[Xm88]

When applying minoxidil, I need to cover all of the front area(front hairline + back 3-4 inches). How much of the area should I actually be seeking to cover? I'm using 12.5% cream from the Belgravia Centre(UK) which they advise to use once daily. I've read that putting a small bit on one area will take care of a good amount of scalp surrounding it, but it all seems a little vague. I'm going through the stuff faster than I should, and while some of that is down to compensating for bits getting caught up in my hair, I think it's more a case of me over-dosing. Obviously I am cautious about underdosing, though.

Also, I've seen a few seemingly reputable UK sites offering 15%+ minoxidil liquid, but a trichologist I spoke to from the Belgravia Centre said they don't believe there's a way to make any minoxidil stronger than 5% melt down into a liquid, and that it needs to be cream if you're going for any of the stronger types. Can anyone shed light on this? Using liquid or foam once a day would be ideal(much quicker/easier), but I want to make sure it's as effective as the cream.

 

[Bowser]

mmm i once enquired about that centres programme! except that they charge a fortune for peace of mind i suppose. have you tried the 5% minoxidil solutions? in my opinion the lower percent minoxidil should be started on first then slowly increase over the years. the solutions are much easier to apply.

 

[Xm88]

Thanks for the reply. I was on 5% before, taking it twice daily, but found it too much effort. I've heard some people say that taking 5% once a day should be enough for a lot of people, but I wouldn't want to chance it with that. Really I am hoping that the 15%+ liquids are proven to have all the minoxidil in them they say they have, but I guess it's hard to know who to trust. :ermm:

 

[Aks20]

Why are you guys using such strong concentrations of minoxidil when even 2% was shown to affect left ventricular mass over a long term study?
It may be a risk to your cardiovascular health. No point in hair but a leaky heart valve

 

[WarLord]

Why are you guys using such strong concentrations of minoxidil when even 2% was shown to affect left ventricular mass over a long term study?
It may be a risk to your cardiovascular health. No point in hair but a leaky heart valve

Sometimes a miserable life can't be offset by cardiovascular health. I would rather be dead than bald. Being bald is like being buried alive.

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When applying minoxidil, I need to cover all of the front area(front hairline + back 3-4 inches).

No. You need to cover the whole area normally affected by male pattern baldness. Otherwise you can pack it up since the very beginning.

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Thanks for the reply. I was on 5% before, taking it twice daily, but found it too much effort. I've heard some people say that taking 5% once a day should be enough for a lot of people, but I wouldn't want to chance it with that. Really I am hoping that the 15%+ liquids are proven to have all the minoxidil in them they say they have, but I guess it's hard to know who to trust. :ermm:

Don't worry. Most of them are certainly legit. Try MinoxidilMax. But remember that high minoxidil concentrations may not be good for everybody. High % minoxidil can regrow, but also destroy our hair.

 

[Xm88]

Yeah I do cover the other areas(where my bald-spot would be if I get one, the areas a little further back than the thinning area), but anyway I seem to go through it fast as hell. Kinda frustrating that no-one else seems to have this problem, maybe I'm just ridiculously over-cautious about it.

And DualGen/MinoxidilMax is the 15% one I meant, but I really can't help but feel weary of using them. Like I said, Belgravia(who have a very good reputation in the UK) said that they can't turn minoxidil higher than 5%-ish into liquid(I've seen other companies say similar online too), meanwhile with MinoxidilMax, the only thing I can find where they were asked to address this is this piece of correspondence between them and a potential buyer - http://www.baldtruthtaIk.com/showthread.php?t=4718

 

[longhair1983]

I started with Xandrox-15 made by Dr. Lee and later switched to Dualgen - 15 without noticing any difference. So I have no doubt MinoxdilMax is legit.

No experience with Belgravia. But it looks like they are not honest people. So I would stay away from it. Making 15% minoxidil solution is impossible? It is just bull****. Was Dr. Lee selling fake 15% all the years? Is Dr. Klein selling fake 15% minoxidil too? If I am not mistaken, Belgravia is trying to give false information to try to sell their expensive minoxidil +azelaic acid cream.

 

[Xm88]

To be fair, they didn't say it is impossible, just that they themselves haven't managed it yet(they say they've been doing experiments with it for the last year or so). I didn't know how many other people have done it as a liquid, do these other companies still do it? Or is MinoxidilMax the only one around now?

 

[Bowser]

in my opinion, belgravia are charging a fortune for their exclusive treatments that are basically finasteride and high strength minoxidil. their adverts are misleading as what people aren't told is that the treatment must continue for life and that all the treatments will fade in effectiveness over time. i was quoted £1500 for year supply. for finasteride and dualgen i source myself- about £200/year.

 

[Xm88]

I'm not on a program with them, I just buy minoxidil and propecia from them as and when I need it, and the price is pretty much the same as anywhere else charges.

 

[WarLord]

their adverts are misleading as what people aren't told is that the treatment must continue for life and that all the treatments will fade in effectiveness over time.

Considering that 86% people on finasteride can keep/regrow hair for 10+ years, and some other people have been using minoxidil for 15 or 20+ years already (me included), you must base your statements on some new study that unequivocally demonstrates a sudden loss of efficiacy after 25 years, right? I am really thrilled to see the new data.

 

[WarLord]

I started with Xandrox-15 made by Dr. Lee and later switched to Dualgen - 15 without noticing any difference. So I have no doubt MinoxdilMax is legit.

No experience with Belgravia. But it looks like they are not honest people. So I would stay away from it. Making 15% minoxidil solution is impossible? It is just bull****. Was Dr. Lee selling fake 15% all the years? Is Dr. Klein selling fake 15% minoxidil too? If I am not mistaken, Belgravia is trying to give false information to try to sell their expensive minoxidil +azelaic acid cream.

You really mean Dualgen 15? Elsewhere you write Dualgen 5.