minoxidil Question - haven't seen this one asked

[Tee1234]

How long does Minoxidil last in terms of years of effectiveness?

I know some people theorize that Propecia levels off in effectiveness after a certain amount of years and I've also read some users who have taken it for 10+ years with no issues.

What about minoxidil? Does it theoretically work as long as you use it?

I was saving minoxidil as one of my "Aces in the hole," in case.

But since it is realtively inexpensive and easy to use and can only help (in theory), I'm wondering if I should get on it?

I don't want to "waste" one of my options....

Thanks

 

[Cassin]

How long does Minoxidil last in terms of years of effectiveness?

there are countless threads on this. You can find a lot of info with a search.

 

[Bryan]

How long does Minoxidil last in terms of years of effectiveness?

What about minoxidil? Does it theoretically work as long as you use it?

That issue has been discussed more than you can imagine!

Really long-term topical minoxidil studies (the kind that would be required to answer your question definitively) are few and far between, but I think the ones that are available seem to show that minoxidil probably works as long as you use it.

HOWEVER, it's important to understand what "works as long as you use it" really means. The best available evidence seems to suggest that minoxidil doesn't really interfere with the fundamental balding process in any way, it just provides an extra offset of growth as long as you use it. What that means is that you continue to go bald even while using minoxidil, you just have a little more hair each step of the way than you WOULD have had, had you not used it at all.

 

[slacker86]

So if someone were taking propecia and had successfully halted their hair loss, and propecia worked at keeping the remaining hair for a number of years, what would happen when they added minoxidil? If the minoxidil worked successfully and grew hair in balding areas, would this minoxidil hair keep growing for as long as the minoxidil was taken, or would it gradually lose effectiveness after two years or so leaving the person with the hair saved by propecia? I hope that makes sense, wondered for a while though.

 

[$tackz]

Haven't seen this question asked? This might be one of the most commonly asked questions about Minoxidil ever....period.

 

[ps1freak]

How long does Minoxidil last in terms of years of effectiveness?

What about minoxidil? Does it theoretically work as long as you use it?

That issue has been discussed more than you can imagine!

Really long-term topical minoxidil studies (the kind that would be required to answer your question definitively) are few and far between, but I think the ones that are available seem to show that minoxidil probably works as long as you use it.

HOWEVER, it's important to understand what "works as long as you use it" really means. The best available evidence seems to suggest that minoxidil doesn't really interfere with the fundamental balding process in any way, it just provides an extra offset of growth as long as you use it. What that means is that you continue to go bald even while using minoxidil, you just have a little more hair each step of the way than you WOULD have had, had you not used it at all.

question for you bryan

since minoxidil doesn't affect the balding process but rather just provides extra offset as growth, what destroys or makes the extra offset start to lose the benefits? Is it the DHT that originally destroyed the hair?

if it is the DHT, then theoretically by taking a DHT inhibitor, doesn't maintain minoxidil benefits in the longer run?

 

[Bryan]

question for you bryan

since minoxidil doesn't affect the balding process but rather just provides extra offset as growth, what destroys or makes the extra offset start to lose the benefits? Is it the DHT that originally destroyed the hair?

The balding process continues, whether you use minoxidil or not. Therefore, your hair will inevitably go downhill, even while using the drug. But if you use it, you'll have a little more hair at any given point than if you hadn't used it at all, even though your hair is still going downhill. See what I'm saying?

if it is the DHT, then theoretically by taking a DHT inhibitor, doesn't maintain minoxidil benefits in the longer run?

I understand what you mean, and the answer is yes.