I have also tried the Rogaine foam for months. Haven't seen any sort of result...yet. I do feel reassured when I use it though.

Thus, I am considering surgery as a last case. Has anyone tried any sort of organic treatments?

Can you tell me little bit more about Matthew Gardson's method? Thanks.

I've been trying to search for some information concerning switching from Rogaine liquid to foam. About 11 years ago (I'm now 50) I started using Rogaine. At the time I didn't notice much hair loss but there is a history of it in my family. Over the years my hairline started to thin around the temples but I didn't detect any loss around the top of my head where I was applying it.

About 6 - 8 months ago I switched to Rogaine foam (I applied it twice a day as before). Over the last few months I have noticed a noticable amount of hair loss around the top of my head. I have recently read accounts of men using the foam and experiencing 'shedding' for a few months before hair growth takes place. Could this possibly be happening to me or is it possible that not enough minoxidil is making contact with my scalp. Any thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated!

this guy writes in a very real way that makes sense

initial shedding due to rogaine is expected and is said to be a sign of respond to treatment
I believe most of the hairs lost in a minoxidil induced shed are telogen hairs that are forced into a new cycle.

Hello all

First time board member and poster here.

I found this thread on a Google search as I was thinking of trying the Rogaine Foam so I was hoping I could ask a few questions here.

Just to mention, I know this is a bit long and that there's quite a few FAQ things around that might have some of the answers for these, and that I could ask the company, but given the nature of boards like this it's been my experience that you get the truth more from asking things from guys like you and as well as this is for one specific product, I thought it might be more relevant and direct to ask here then rely on a generic FAQ.

Also, I would imagine that some of the answers to these questions could be variable to each person, so just to mention it, I'm just looking for anyone's best and or personal experience answers to these and know that it could be different for me.

First to give you a bit about me as I think some of it might be relevant, I started slowly loosing my hair in the areas it is gone in now at about 23, and am 46 now. My father was pretty bald at a very young age, but I'm not as bad as he was and while I noticed mine at about 23, it has been a fairly slow but still steady transition.

I apologize if I don't know all the technical terms but to describe it, my hair loss is pretty completely gone on the back top, which I think is called the crown. Then as well is pretty much gone now from the front temples, all the way back to that.

The rest of my hair grows pretty good and so aside from the crown, with the help of a great hair cutting girl and the other parts growing length, I am able to cover the temple parts for the most part a bit.

At any rate, my feelings on this personally are not too bad and at least "I" have never felt the need to do much about it, but now as I'm getting older I'm thinking about doing something more then at least nothing and if I can at least get some fill back to the crown and maybe the temples a little bit so I wouldn't have to have the top cover that as much, I would be happy.

The one thing to mention though and this is another big reason I have never done anything is that my life is pretty crazy. I often work sudden, crazy, long and unpredictable hours. I can get into some fairly dirty and sweaty conditions and over all, as I don't have anything else in my life that needs it, between all I stated above and that, I don't do well with nor have ever needed to, deal with more then brushing my teeth and downing five cups of coffee in the morning, (I know, not good for the hair but its better the getting my arm ripped off in a gear assembly).

Anyway hope that wasn't too long but again, I think it kinda relates to my questions so I thought I would pre-post that kinda stuff.

So for a few things I was wondering about, from reading the other posts, as I understand it correctly, this product needs to be applied twice a day.

Typically I shower at night, and get up in the AM an usually give my hair a quick water down, which almost looks a little like gel but dries quickly and so after looks normal.

So would this foam kinda resemble about the same thing?

Next, as I herd it was the case for just about anything that could be applied, I've always been very concerned about any smell. Now this product is described as unsented, but what does that mean, does this product have an odor?

If it does, how bad is it?

Is it pretty well recognizable as, um oh yeah, feew....that's Rogaine.

Also, does the smell get worse if you sweat?

Next, does it completely dry after a bit or does it always stay a little or kinda oily?

As well if it does completely dry, once dried, does it stay like that if you sweat or does it run?

If it doesn't or while it is drying, Is it kinda sticky then and can and will attract a lot of dirt an oils while drying?

Next, does it completely wash out and thus is of no effect from a shower?

The reason I ask is as I mentioned, I shower before bed so I sleep clean, and actually have trouble sleeping if I'm not.

So with this product, would it work if I came home, applied it, then waited a few hours, showered and went to bed?

Of would that just be a waist of it as I'm just washing out the item that is going to do any good.

So if not, if I showering first, letting my hair dry, then applied it, is it nasty to sleep with?

Next, how hard do I have to keep to the schedule of applying of it?

In other words, if I missed a morning or night application once in a while, is that going be big to its effects and I may expect a bunch of hair loss in a day or two?

As well and kinda related to that, if it was working and I say stopped completely, would I get a huge loss all of a sudden as well?

Lastly, from what I've read here, it seems like a good way to apply it for me would be to spray it directly into those areas and then massage it in.

Does this sound like a good idea?

I am assuming the idea is to get the product in as direct contact with and as well absorbed by, the skin of the areas that don't have hair, so it sounds like that might be the best way to apply it for me.

In other words, actually getting much if any of it in contact with any existing hair isn't really the way to have it work as it was intended right?

So actually the more I keep it out of my existing hair and in more contact with my skin, the more efficient the use I will get from what I apply, correct?

So I guess what I'm saying is, my idea and thinking is to not get it into my existing hair at all (or as little as possible) right?

So if that is correct, that is another reason I think it might be good for me is as I can just spray some of it under my hair an then rub it it, then let it dry and over all, the rest of my hair should look the same. As well I'm thinking this might help keep the smell thing down if that is a problem.

Anyway, again hope that wasn't all too much to ask but its ton's of questions like these which are the reasons I never did anything like this before, and with no one else to ask, I was just hoping I could get some of them answered here.

Thanks for any help.

What is this matthew gardson's method? Couldn't find much about it online at all. Seems a bit strange.

Kirkland21,

I can answer some of your questions from experience. For most of the past 2 years I've been using generic liquid minoxidil. At one point, I bought some Rogaine Foam prior to the unscented version coming out and I couldn't stand the smell so gave it up.

Anyway, I recently picked up some of the new unscented foam and I think it's great! There is really no smell to it. In order to stretch my savings, I use the foam in the morning to avoid the greasy look and I use the liquid in the evening.

You are correct that the foam needs to make as much contact with your scalp as possible. This isn't easy if you've got some hair in the balding area as a lot seems to get absorbed in the hair.

I find that the foam almost acts as a mousse. It seems to stiffen and thicken my hair just a bit.

Missing an application once in a while is not going to hurt you.

It is my understanding that you can shower three hours after application.

Hope this helps!

__________________
David (TakingThePlunge)
Forum Co-Moderator and Editorial Assistant

I am not a medical professional. All opinions are my own and my advice should not constitute as medical advice.

View my Hair Loss Website

Hey guys. How long the foam takes to dry so i can apply another topical product?

Oriol, i recently switched from the liquid to foam. It takes a much shorter time to dry. Depending on how thick your mane is, i would reckon by 15min your hair should be dry. The foam has some thickening effect, so i would suggest that to be your daily base before applying some concealers

__________________
View my hair loss website. Surgery done by Doc Pathomvanich from Bangkok http://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com...asp?WebID=1730