Minoxidil after hair transplant

[saska1209]

Hi,

 

I had 1900 FUE grafts HT for my "crown" 2 weeks ago. I have couple of questions:

 

1. Regarding the common belief that Minoxidil speeds up growth (i.e. help stimulate the new follicles to start growing a little faster): How true is it?

 

2. Shedding is commonly experienced after starting using Minoxidil. My question is, does the shedding happen in the area where it is applied or all over scalp? For instance, if I apply to my transplanted area (crown) only, then would I experience the initial shed in the rest of the scalp as well?

 

On a side note, I'm also planning to start Finasteride in a week. And, btw, I haven't used either Minoxidil or Propecia before, so these would be my first experience with these two.

[saska1209]

Nobody to give opinion on this?

[Postdoc]

Hi,

 

I had 1900 FUE grafts HT for my "crown" 2 weeks ago. I have couple of questions:

 

1. Regarding the common belief that Minoxidil speeds up growth (i.e. help stimulate the new follicles to start growing a little faster): How true is it?

 

2. Shedding is commonly experienced after starting using Minoxidil. My question is, does the shedding happen in the area where it is applied or all over scalp? For instance, if I apply to my transplanted area (crown) only, then would I experience the initial shed in the rest of the scalp as well?

 

On a side note, I'm also planning to start Finasteride in a week. And, btw, I haven't used either Minoxidil or Propecia before, so these would be my first experience with these two.

 

Whilst there haven't been any large scale studies on the use of minoxidil post-HT, small studies of just 12 patients have reported that minoxidil may prevent shedding and promote early growth. As long as you start using it once the recipient areas are fully healed (e.g. a week or so after the procedure), it would be reasonable to use it. Shedding due to minoxidil is very variable and if it did cause shedding, it should only be in the area where you apply it. I'd also recommend finasteride or dutasteride to help you hold on to the remaining hair.

 

You can find some references to minoxidil use post-HT in this link:

 

Minoxidil Recommended for Hair Transplant Patients

 

Regards,

David (Postdoc)

[Bobilero]

Studies like the below have shown Minoxidil after a HT can help reduce shockloss and even help some of the transplanted grafts to hang on and grow without shedding. And stimulate the new follicules.

 

May not have optimum effect for everyone but its defintily worth adding to the regimen.

 

Improving the Outcome of Hair Transplantation with Minoxidil « Avacor® Hair Regrowth Blog

[saska1209]

Thanks Bobilero and PostDoc for chipping in.

 

How about the initial shedding due to minoxidil? Do the hair shed only in applied area or the whole scalp?

[Janna]

Hi,

 

I haven't used either Minoxidil or Propecia before, so these would be my first experience with these two.

 

The best chances of positive effect you can get from hair loss meds is with the conbination from both Minox and Propecia. I happen to like it when patients try out the meds first to see what kind of effect they get from it. We've had patients postpone surgery due to how much growth they got from meds alone.

[Postdoc]

I think it's very unlikely that more widespread shedding should be a problem. If my own experience is anything to go by, most of my shedding happened before I started the minoxidil and then I got a lot of early growth such that by month 4, I was able to ditch my bandana and have a short haircut. What's tricky to know is how long to continue the minoxidil after the grafts have grown in. I was using minoxidil at the front as well as on the crown and I stopped using it on the front about three months ago and I certainly haven't seen any shedding. I think the best way to view minoxidil is as an initial growth enhancer and it probably does this by promoting vascularisation of the grafted follicles. So it's probable reasonable to gradually phase out using it, although I'm not aware of any evidence from research for doing that vs. continuing it indefinitely. You might also want to use Nizoral shampoo twice a week for its anti-DHT effect although the evidence is fairly weak. As I mentioned before, finasteride or dutasteride are definitely worth taking, particularly if you're young.

 

Regards,

David (Postdoc)

[saska1209]

The best chances of positive effect you can get from hair loss meds is with the conbination from both Minox and Propecia. I happen to like it when patients try out the meds first to see what kind of effect they get from it. We've had patients postpone surgery due to how much growth they got from meds alone.

 

Thanks Janna,

 

I understand the best time to start with meds is before HT. But I seem to have lost that chance since I have already been through 2 HTs. The last one being 3 weeks ago. But still at stage NW5V, I feel I might save some hair if I start with meds even now.

 

Janna, do Dr. Ron Shapiro or Dr. Paul Shapiro advise patients to start with Finasteride and Minoxidil after HT (in case they weren't on the meds before HT, for whatever reason)?

Edited December 12, 2012 by saska1209

[saska1209]

I think it's very unlikely that more widespread shedding should be a problem. If my own experience is anything to go by, most of my shedding happened before I started the minoxidil and then I got a lot of early growth such that by month 4, I was able to ditch my bandana and have a short haircut. What's tricky to know is how long to continue the minoxidil after the grafts have grown in. I was using minoxidil at the front as well as on the crown and I stopped using it on the front about three months ago and I certainly haven't seen any shedding. I think the best way to view minoxidil is as an initial growth enhancer and it probably does this by promoting vascularisation of the grafted follicles. So it's probable reasonable to gradually phase out using it, although I'm not aware of any evidence from research for doing that vs. continuing it indefinitely. You might also want to use Nizoral shampoo twice a week for its anti-DHT effect although the evidence is fairly weak. As I mentioned before, finasteride or dutasteride are definitely worth taking, particularly if you're young.

 

 

 

PostDoc, were you on Minoxidil before you HT as well or you started only after your HT to speed up the growth of transplanted follicles?

 

By 3 weeks now, I have lost more than 50% of the transplanted hair so I'm not counting that I would retain those without shedding and I dont mind if they all shed. But if I can get early growth with Minoxidil then I'd give it a try especially when the area is crown and crown seem to grow slower.

[Postdoc]

PostDoc, were you on Minoxidil before you HT as well or you started only after your HT to speed up the growth of transplanted follicles?

 

By 3 weeks now, I have lost more than 50% of the transplanted hair so I'm not counting that I would retain those without shedding and I dont mind if they all shed. But if I can get early growth with Minoxidil then I'd give it a try especially when the area is crown and crown seem to grow slower.

 

I started minoxidil after the HT.

 

Regards,

David (Postdoc)