I have decided to take rogaine.

Should i start on 2 or 5 mg?



How does rogaine work compared to propecia?

Does rogaine block DHT? or operate in a different way?


I understand there are some other DHT blockers? possibly that are shampoo based?

What is that product starting with N - how does that work?

I would prefer not to take propecia, due to the unknown long term side effects.

What other options do i have?

guy,

The "2" or "5" when referring to Rogaine is actually a percent of the solution that contains minoxodil.

In my opinion, use the 5% unless you are experiencing some of the reported side effects and then try the 2%. 5% is more effective.

Best wishes,

Bill

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gfs-

Bill answered your Q on Minoxidil, I think you're talking % solution as he mentioned. No, Minox is not a DHT blocker, it is a vascular dilator which increases blood flow. Finasteride (Propecia) is a DHT blocker. They accomplish the same task but work quite differently.

No shampoo I know of blocks DHT................I believe Nioxin says something like "blocks toxins "LIKE" DHT" .......slick marketing, they don't block DHT nor have they EVER proven to regrow hair.

Nizoral is another "N" shampoo that is an anti-fungal shampoo and removes sebum deposits in the scalp.............basically helps to provide optimum growth condition for you if you use minox or Finasteride.

The other other option I know of is Duasteride which is stronger than Finasteride but it is not yet FDA approved for hair loss.

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Hairbank

1st HT 1-18-05 - 1200 FUT's
2nd HT 2-15-06 - 3886 FUT's Dr. Wong
3rd HT 4-24-08 - 2415 FUT's Dr. Wong

GRAND TOTAL: 7501 GRAFTS

current regimen: 1.25mg finasteride every other day

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Disclaimer: I'm not a Doctor (and have never played one on TV ) and have no medical training. Any information I share here is in an effort to help those who don't like hair loss.

Hairbank,

Thanks for giving guyfromsydney some great advice.

There is some controversy as to whether or not Ketoconazole (the active ingredient in Nizoral and Revita) simply removes sebum or actually has some "weak" anti-DHT properties.

I have written an article on ketoconazole if you are interested after I did some research on it.

Cheers bro,

Bill

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Managing Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog and the Hair Loss Forum and Social Community

View our hair loss articles on EZineArticles.com

Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Subscribe to our Newsletters | How We Recommend Physicians

-----

To learn about how I restored my hair, view my my hair loss website.

Remember, true beauty radiates from within, not from the skin.

I am not a medical professional and my words should not be taken as medical advice. All opinions and views shared are my own.

just wanted to add to this. I checked my bottle of Nioxin last night. It actually says removes environmental residue and DHT, not 'like DHT'. maybe they have updated the bottles. Mine is new in the last few months. anyway, just thought I would mention it. not to say it is proven it removes DHT but anyway....

Bill,

Thanks for the note on Ketoconazole...........I had not heard that it may have anti-DHT properties. I supposed time (or studies) will tell whether or not it really does.

HTinthefuture -

Interesting about your bottle of Nioxin........... mine does not say that. Maybe changes have been made and it now can make that claim??

Anyone else have any info on this?? I've never seen any information on Nioxin products claiming to regrow hair or halt loss.

__________________
Hairbank

1st HT 1-18-05 - 1200 FUT's
2nd HT 2-15-06 - 3886 FUT's Dr. Wong
3rd HT 4-24-08 - 2415 FUT's Dr. Wong

GRAND TOTAL: 7501 GRAFTS

current regimen: 1.25mg finasteride every other day

My Hair Loss Weblog

Disclaimer: I'm not a Doctor (and have never played one on TV ) and have no medical training. Any information I share here is in an effort to help those who don't like hair loss.

i have heard of a shampoo on minoxidil.com that combines 2% ketoconazole and 3% salicylic acid which helps clear the scalp and help block dht forming. its supposed to combine the eniits of Nizoral and Neutrogena T-Sal. Could be worth a shot when using minoxidil as an allternative to propecia which i personally would be wary of using

thank you everyone.

There seems to be alot of controversy about the long term effects of propecia.

Do you guys think rogaine is alot safer?

Ketoconozole nor salicylic acid will block DHT. There is no topical formulation that blocks DHT that has been clinically proven. FOr my patients I recommned 5% Roagaine. There is a new foam available which has less of a risk of causing scalp irritation. Propecia is Finasteride and finasteride has been used at 5 times the dosage for men with prostate problems longer than propecia has been around. It has been determined to be safe and has a good track record. More detailed information on long term saafety can be obtained at www.propecia.com. Dutasteride has higher sexual side effects than propecia.

Ricardo Mejia MD
Hair Transplant Network Surgeon
Jupiter FL

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Ricardo Mejia MD, FAAD
Jupiter FL
Hair Transplant Network recommended physician; photos

It is true that ketoconazole probably does not act as an antiandrogen. The medical indication for ketoconazole is treatment of seborrheic dermatitis and that is probably why it works (some) in pattern loss. The efficacy of antiseborrheic dermatits agents in pattern loss has been known for a long time. The earliest reference I can find to is is the first-century physicians Diocorides, who recommends "tar" (presumably coal tar, pitch, or bitumen) as a treatment for pattern loss. There is another reference to it from 1640.

Early 20th-century illuminaries in dermatology such as Sabaroud also recommended tar treatment for pattern loss. While continuing in Europe, this fell out of use in the US, presumably due to the "snake-oil" taint. The latest reference I can find to it in an American formulary is 1927. An attempt to patent this use about 1950 was rejected as an "incredible invention", like a cancer cure. The patent office has since revised its opinion on both cancer cures and hair loss treatments.

Anyway, more recent studies suggest that standard treatments for Seb derm (ketoconazole, coal-tar, and pyrithione) all have some efficacy in pattern loss. E.g., in the clinical trials with Propecia, Merck even used a coal-tar proparation (T-Gel) in both wings of the trial to minimize seborrheic dermatitis as a contributing factor. Most likely Seborrheic dermatitis exacerbates the inflammatory-autoimmune component of pattern loss, though nobody knows for sure.

Nor does anybody know the optimal agent. On the principle of "If you can, treat the disease and not the symptoms", I mildly prefer ketoconazole, which kills the yeast that probably causes Seb derm.

Peter H Proctor, PhD,MD
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