Is it worth me taking minoxidil (regaine rogaine)

[Cowhorns]

P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }Hi.

 

 

I started receding during my late teens and experienced some minor thinning of the crown at around 34. At this point I started using flinstrate (propecia) which I have taken for the last 6 years. I am now 41 and have responded well to finasteride where the crown has stabilised with some limited thickening. (A HT is taking care of the frontal re-session lol)

 

 

I'm content with the crown as it is, however should I start to use minidoxil or shall I wait incase flinstrate starts to loose effectiveness and then at this point use minoxidil to help the crown?

 

 

My concern is if I start on minoxidil now it may loose its effectiveness over time so should I leave it until I really need it?

 

 

Thanks

[gillenator]

nick,

 

Well that's a difficult thing to determine because we all respond to these hair loss meds differently. If your crown has stabilized, then I would leave it alone and wait to see if things continue to remain stabilized.

 

If your crown does begin to thin, you can then begin minoxidil which does not inhibit DHT like finasteride does, but minoxidil does improve blood flow to the scalp and also can potentially invigorate some new growth. It also improves hair shaft diameter which is the single most critical factor in visual coverage.

 

If you had to choose between the two, finasteride is the better choice IMHO because it does inhibit DHT effectively.

 

You can always try minoxidil in the future to see if you notice any thickening in the crown, but just be aware that some guys experience some generalized thinning and or shock loss from the initial use of minoxidil and/or finasteride.

 

That thinning is temporary for the most part but it can happen. And again long term efficiency from either hair loss medication can vary between individuals. Only time will tell.

[WHTC-7706631290]

Nick72,

 

Minoxidil is a good idea for helping to decrease your rate of hair loss. You would more than likely see little results with starting Minoxidil if your crown looks good after so many years on Finasteride. The reality of beginning Minoxidil is that you'd probably only notice the results after discontinuing its use. Your hair loss has stabilized and you seem to indicate that you are content as well. You can reconsider Minoxidil at a future date or when you notice a change in your crown. Remember to snap off a few photos once in a while. They'll help document the progression for future reference. Best of wishes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My opinions are not necessarily the opinions of Dr. Patrick Mwamba.

[TakingThePlunge]

Good advice above! It's important to note that Rogaine (minoxidil) is not a substitute for Propecia (finasteride). They work in very different ways and, therefore, affect different hairs. Thus, waiting for finasteride to "lose its effectiveness" before starting minoxidil is not the best option.

 

Finasteride works to slow the advance of androgenic alopecia and regrow hair by inhibiting the conversion of testosterone to the hormone DHT. Minoxidil, on the other hand, is a vasodilator and is thought to treat thinning hair by widening blood vessels and increasing blood flow to miniaturizing follicles.

 

Many hair restoration physicians believe that the best course of action is to use these two medical hair loss treatments in combination. It is thought that they work synergistically, each enhancing the effects of the other.

Edited November 28, 2013 by David - TakingThePlunge
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[Cowhorns]

Thanks as always guys, this is really sound advice and directly responds to my question.

 

 

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