So what good is Minoxidil?

[Primex]

Ok, first hello everyone, long time reader, first time poster...etc. I've been reading a lot of the posts and most of them say that Minoxidil doesn't help with balding. So what does it do besides causing a greasy wet scalp for about 8 hours out of the day (for 2 applications)? Does it just cause hair the hair you already have to grow faster or somthing? Or is there some other fundamental use for it?

 

[beaner]

Minoxidil thickens existing hair in many by enlarging the hair follicle, it grows new hair in some, and prolongs the growth phase of the hair. In other words.....it helps with balding.

 

[Primex]

Ok, cool. But there's a bunch of posters saying the opposite and that it doesn't help with balding and that it just grows the same hair out. I'm just a little confused about that.

 

[beaner]

Not saying it is going to be effective for everyone....keep in mind that you are on a hair loss forum and a lot of posters here are unsuccessful with their treatments....thus the reason for posting. In many people using minoxidil will thicken their existing "thinning hairs" to cosmetically acceptable levels and will also prolong the growth phase of these hairs so you may have more hair in the "growth phase" on your scalp at any given time making your hair appear fuller. It can also stimulate seemingly "dead" follicles to produce a new hair shaft on previously bald spots. Minoxidil can work for many people for years to keep a fuller looking head of hair. While the fundamental balding process may still continue....minoxidil can provide that extra offset of growth. I've been using it successfully for almost 4 years with no other treatments until recently. Minoxidil, however, does not address the underlying reason for male pattern baldness which is DHT attacking the hair follicles, so while it will continue to do its job, its also adviseable to ad something to your regiment to address the DHT issue.

 

[Primex]

OH, Ok, that makes sense then. Thanks dude.

 

[videoman]

I wish I had taken before and after pictures, but minoxidil has helped me a lot. I've been on it for about 6 months now (Kirkland 5%) and I started seeing good results after about 2 months. I've grown a lot of hair with it. Thicker all over the top and the crown. Hasn't done anything for the widows peak---at least not yet--but I'm not too concerned about that. No itching. I went from about a scale 2-3 to 1-2. I've had a lot of compliments about my 'haircut'. I don't bother to tell people it's the same haircut I've always had.

I spend probably less than a minute putting it on twice a day. My only concern, at this point, is how long will it last? I know it stops being effective eventually but will it be in 6 months? 2 years? 10 years? I've heard varying stories. If it starts to lose effectiveness, I'll look into Propecia, but I'd rather not deal with the needed prescription and possible side-effects if I don't have to.

I guess it works for some people better than others. If I didn't see any effects after the initial 4 months supply ran out, I would have stopped trying it.

Good luck!