OK....I'm confused....
It seems there are as many different treatments and results as there are scalps!
First, a brief re-cap of my hairloss---I started noticing a general thinning on top and receeding hairline at around age 28. It progresssed very slowly and even seemed to halt for a few years. At about age 40, after years of being a long-haired rocker, it was starting to "mullet-fy" and was no longer looking good long so I cut it. About 6 months ago (age 44) it was getting noticibly thinner and I was seeing a large amount of hairs on my pillow each morning. Styling it every day became more of an exercise in mini-comb overs to cover the thinness on top. On a whim, I purchased a 4-months supply of 5% minoxidil. I was skeptical of the product but thought if it at least slowed the hair-loss, I'd be satisfied.
Well, the minoxidil has worked great. After 3 months I have achieved nearly full return of my hair (I wish I had pics, but I didn't think to take any 'before' pictures!) I haven't suffered any of the reported side effects (itching, flaking, burning) except for some unwanted facial hair around my forehead. So here are my questions:
Am I on the best 'regiment' for long-term hair restoration? I've read a lot of stuff about Propecia and other treatments, either intead of minoxidil or combined-with. minoxidil seems to have this infamous 48-week wall after which no one is sure what happens. Will the minoxidil give out after a year or so? Should I have started with another product and switched to minoxidil later on? If the minoxidil gives out, can I switch to something else? Could I go back to the minoxidil a few years down the road?
Am I applying it in the best manner? I've read a lot about minoxidil being a pain-in-the-***. I don't find it to be so. I simply dab it all around the top of my head with the eye-dropper twice a day.--pretty simple and takes about 30 secounds. Should I be rubbing it in?
On one hand I know the answer is "if it's working for me stick with it". But I'm worried that I may be over-doing it if minoxidil is too strong a product. I had such good results so quickly that I'm worried I might 'wear out' my scalp.
It seems there are as many different treatments and results as there are scalps!
First, a brief re-cap of my hairloss---I started noticing a general thinning on top and receeding hairline at around age 28. It progresssed very slowly and even seemed to halt for a few years. At about age 40, after years of being a long-haired rocker, it was starting to "mullet-fy" and was no longer looking good long so I cut it. About 6 months ago (age 44) it was getting noticibly thinner and I was seeing a large amount of hairs on my pillow each morning. Styling it every day became more of an exercise in mini-comb overs to cover the thinness on top. On a whim, I purchased a 4-months supply of 5% minoxidil. I was skeptical of the product but thought if it at least slowed the hair-loss, I'd be satisfied.
Well, the minoxidil has worked great. After 3 months I have achieved nearly full return of my hair (I wish I had pics, but I didn't think to take any 'before' pictures!) I haven't suffered any of the reported side effects (itching, flaking, burning) except for some unwanted facial hair around my forehead. So here are my questions:
Am I on the best 'regiment' for long-term hair restoration? I've read a lot of stuff about Propecia and other treatments, either intead of minoxidil or combined-with. minoxidil seems to have this infamous 48-week wall after which no one is sure what happens. Will the minoxidil give out after a year or so? Should I have started with another product and switched to minoxidil later on? If the minoxidil gives out, can I switch to something else? Could I go back to the minoxidil a few years down the road?
Am I applying it in the best manner? I've read a lot about minoxidil being a pain-in-the-***. I don't find it to be so. I simply dab it all around the top of my head with the eye-dropper twice a day.--pretty simple and takes about 30 secounds. Should I be rubbing it in?
On one hand I know the answer is "if it's working for me stick with it". But I'm worried that I may be over-doing it if minoxidil is too strong a product. I had such good results so quickly that I'm worried I might 'wear out' my scalp.