great results initially, help wanted!!

[sadscalp]

Alright, so I started minoxidil liquid 5% in April 2010. By July I had excellent results (difference was pretty astonishing), but it didn't last more than a little over a month, when it started going the other way. Around Christmas it was very bad again, pretty much as bad as baseline. Then after new years I took a few days' break from minoxidil, started it again, and after a few days the results slowly returned (nowhere near where it was at its best, but still better than Christmas. I've used it continually ever since, but never gotten close to getting the fantastic results I once had.

Now in the first few months of minoxidil use I could really feel my scalp absorbing the minoxidil. Had sort of a tingling feeling, almost a burning one, on my scalp whenever I applied it. If I take a few days' break from minoxidil I can almost feel that again a little bit, but after a couple of days of use I really don't feel anything when I apply it.

Something weird has happened here. Either minoxidil has lost its effect, or it's not absorbing well enough/like it used to, or I'm having a reaction to something else.

Oh, and I also get shitloads of white flakes in periods, usually after I've been on it a while without taking any breaks.

Anyone experienced this? Any tips to how to fix it, and make minoxidil absorb/work again? I've heard people recommend the foam instead of the liquid, but since I live in Norway and I've not found anyone who will ship here, it seems I'm stuck with the liquid (unless anyone can show me a site which ships here).

Please help! I want the damn minoxidil to work again

By the way, I can't take finasteride, had awful sides (and in the 6 months I used it it didn't make any difference whatsoever). Currently using Nizoral and minoxidil.

I have a decent amount of hair right now (that is, decent enough if I could strengthen it up, very obvious I'm balding though, but that I can handle as long as I get a little more frame to my face), but most of them are very weak and light, so I'd really like to thicken those up to their natural color.

 

[Shift]

Does your minoxidil have Retin-A in it?
If so, that can explain burning feeling when applying it and the white flakes.

 

[sadscalp]

Does your minoxidil have Retin-A in it?
If so, that can explain burning feeling when applying it and the white flakes.

No Retin-A, just a standard 5% formula, with propylene glycol and ethanol.

It doesn't tingle/burn anymore (I wish it did, because then I knew I was reacting to it).

 

[sadscalp]

Just bought some Rogaine Foam from topicalminoxidil.com, let's see if it gets through customs. It said on their website that they ship as a low cost shampoo gift, so it should get through.

 

[ripple-effect]

Why do you only use minoxidil? minoxidil is just a hair growth stimulator but in reality your real hair continues to die while minoxidil(if it works) continues to generate "minoxidil hairs" which can only live and thrive on minoxidil. I recommend using a DHT inhibitor alongside with it.

Something like this would be ideal for you:

Men's Premium Minoxidil w/ DHT Inhibitor. Retinol Enhanced Thinning Hair Loss / Hair Regrowth Treatment


I prefer just using a DHT inhibitor though.

 

[sadscalp]

I'm not taking/using anything that inhibits 5AR, period. If you'd suffered the side effects you'd understand.

 

[Rawtashk]

Topical inhibitors are different from pills. You might get sides, but probably not.

 

[ripple-effect]

I'm not taking/using anything that inhibits 5AR, period. If you'd suffered the side effects you'd understand.

What did you use before? Azelaic acid is a natural DHT inhibitor....it's not likely you will suffer from sides especially if it's applied topically. Your more likely to suffer sides from minoxidil than Azelaic acid.

 

[sadscalp]

I'm not taking/using anything that inhibits 5AR, period. If you'd suffered the side effects you'd understand.

What did you use before? Azelaic acid is a natural DHT inhibitor....it's not likely you will suffer from sides especially if it's applied topically. Your more likely to suffer sides from minoxidil than Azelaic acid.

First of all, I've yet to see evidence that topical DHT-inhibitors work. None has, as far as I know, been presented. Show me some clear cut evidence.

Second, what difference does it make if it's natural or not, if the mechanism of action is the same? You seem to think that as long as something is natural, even if it does the exact same thing as something else, it somehow has no potential to cause you any harm/sides. That doesn't make sense.

And I don't need to be told about finasteride, I know enough about it. Didn't to anything for me for the 6 months I used it, and I got awful sides from it, some of which I'm still struggling with.

 

[hairhoper]

Well if minoxidil isn't working for you and you aren't prepared to deal with DHT you're fucked. Sorry :/

 

[ripple-effect]

I'm not taking/using anything that inhibits 5AR, period. If you'd suffered the side effects you'd understand.

What did you use before? Azelaic acid is a natural DHT inhibitor....it's not likely you will suffer from sides especially if it's applied topically. Your more likely to suffer sides from minoxidil than Azelaic acid.

First of all, I've yet to see evidence that topical DHT-inhibitors work. None has, as far as I know, been presented. Show me some clear cut evidence.

Second, what difference does it make if it's natural or not, if the mechanism of action is the same? You seem to think that as long as something is natural, even if it does the exact same thing as something else, it somehow has no potential to cause you any harm/sides. That doesn't make sense.

And I don't need to be told about finasteride, I know enough about it. Didn't to anything for me for the 6 months I used it, and I got awful sides from it, some of which I'm still struggling with.

IMO, topical treatment is the best form of treatment for hair loss because the DHT attacking your hair is actually produced in your scalp. If you can use an effective topical DHT inhibitor to go straight at the DHT in your scalp then you can be sure to experience some form of hair restoration. This also helps to avoid side effects because your only targeting scalp DHT instead of DHT all throughout your body.

I believe natural is better in most cases because the body is more in tune with natural and as a result won't react as much. I don't believe that you never get side effects from it(saw palmetto is an example), but the potential of side effects compared to synthetic is less.

I am not a proponent of finasteride, but I understand that most guys get so desperate that they end up using it. I understand your frustration from the side effects of finasteride from my own experience. That doesn't mean you should become narrow-minded and not use any type of DHT inhibitor. By using a topical DHT inhibitor you get to the root of the problem. minoxidil doesn't get to the root of the problem.

 

[hairhoper]

Desperate would be using something unproven and potentially just as dangerous (if not more so) like Saw Palmetto, in the belief that just because it's natural it will be safer. Using a well researched drug like Finasteride does not equal desperate.

I believe natural is better in most cases because the body is more in tune with natural and as a result won't react as much. I don't believe that you never get side effects from it(saw palmetto is an example), but the potential of side effects compared to synthetic is less.

This is complete nonsense.

 

[ripple-effect]

This is complete nonsense.

What is your reasoning?

Desperate would be using something unproven and potentially just as dangerous (if not more so) like Saw Palmetto, in the belief that just because it's natural it will be safer. Using a well researched drug like Finasteride does not equal desperate.

"Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of saw palmetto in reducing symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Saw palmetto appears to have efficacy similar to that of medications like finasteride, but it is better tolerated and less expensive. There are no known drug interactions with saw palmetto, and reported side effects are minor and rare."
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2003/0315/p1281.html

Saw palmetto is cheaper and safer according to this excerpt. Propecia is less safer and more expensive. Which do you think requires more desperation in order to buy?

No one wants to take medication to save their hair and so out of desperation you will resort to taking Finasteride...just because you don't know what else to turn to. I did it out of desperation and so do many other users(google it). In reality I don't believe any user wants to use it, but they end up doing it anyway because they believe it's their only option to save their hair.

 

[Gene_Fighter]

I would also like to see some solid evidence that DHT inhibitors actually work. I’ve yet to see any yet.

 

[ripple-effect]

Desperate would be using something unproven and potentially just as dangerous (if not more so) like Saw Palmetto, in the belief that just because it's natural it will be safer. Using a well researched drug like Finasteride does not equal desperate.

Right yes I know that some of you will be questioning my reasons for taking finasteride, especially since it did me so much harm for years. Anyway I'm desperate and I'm not gonna get such without hair anyway so this is a big trade off. Explanation over!

viewtopic.php?f=61&t=67942

 

[ripple-effect]

I believe natural is better in most cases because the body is more in tune with natural and as a result won't react as much. I don't believe that you never get side effects from it(saw palmetto is an example), but the potential of side effects compared to synthetic is less.

This is complete nonsense.

If we play around with our hormones usually we block one thing and mess up everything else. The endocrine system is very complicated, and we still dont really know the extent of the cellular communication and cross talk.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=67638&start=0



Do you really know what you're talking about hairhoper?