Minoxidil question

[frogger]

Hair loss has been stabilized and stayed the same since starting Fin 5 years ago. Started using minoxidil roughly 6 months ago. Experienced the expected "dread shed". The problem is I still have not seemed to recover aesthetically. Night and day difference between what my hair looked like before minoxidil and presently, with not really any sign of it improving. I know the shed can last months, but is it normal to still look considerably worse from the initial shed 6 months later? I am on the fence whether or not I want to continue using it fearing I may just be doing more damage. The only reason I even began taking it is because I have a transplant procedure coming up soon, and I thought getting on minoxidil 6+ months in advance may strengthen up any weak hairs to protect against shock loss.

[DaveyB]

I feel your pain.

 

I started Rogaine foam about 2 years ago for recession in my left temple and I regret it.

 

I am now off it about 8 months and I am still trying to recover.

 

My skin aged with crows feet.

 

My hair became wispy and weak.My hairline receded and dissolved. I now have a weak patch on my crown.

 

My stress levels rocketed due to dizzyness and nausea.

 

Regret ever using it

[iiieee]

Yeah, wow, that does suck, You've done something to try to help your condition and it's worsened; now you feel as if you've maligned your own cause. Exacerbating.

 

I've been using minoxidil for 22 yrs., on and off, from 2% to 5%, and I've been on for the past 10 yrs. Obviously, I'm a different case and I respond differently so I wouldn't try to make any comparisons other than to say that I've only seen full restorative, excellent results as long as I've stayed with it--there was a gap between my 2% and 5% usages, when I used propecia, but the 5% took over to give me full results after I came back--I just had to cut my hair down to a brush cut to apply it (and wear my hair) because it is so oily compared to the 2%. . . Which brings me to my point. I'm not sure why your hair has begun to fall again and not recovered, but your troubles do fit an important new set of circumstances related to a mislabelling fraud. Rogaine (Johnson & Johnson) stopped producing 5% minoxidil lotion about 2 yrs ago and just put 2% in it's place with the same 5% labelling. (If you want more info on this, send me your email and I'll send a copy of my complaint to the FDA) And I wouldn't be suprised if generics are doing the same thing, especially when they're so much cheaper and in some cases also produced by J&J. So, it might be possible that you have in some way misused minoxidil and are suffering the consequences--these are tricky and frustrating products when the proper protocol is not followed; and, especially when you're not even sure what is in them!!

 

So, the only thing it could be (in my estimation, given that your hair loss had stabilized with propecia and you 've now waited six months) is a protocol failure. That is to say if you miss a dose of minox or lose it in the rain or perspire or do it more than a couple of hours too late (assuming you do it once a day) you'll trigger a shedding phase that, with 2% minox, will last six months, after that it should start to rebound very quickly (been there, done that!). But, with true 5%, the protocol failure shed should only last about 3 months (been there, done that!!). And, you only have to be doing it for a very short time before a protocol failure sets off a disaster like this!

 

So, first, make sure you are using 5%; if it's Rogaine it's only 2% (who knows what's in the foam?!!). 2% smells strongly of solvent, methanol and pours and looks like water. Real 5% smells like plasticine and only very slightly of alcohol, and it has an oily vicosity. Anyway, if you're using Rogaine "5% Extra Strength", expecting it to work like 5% minoxidil lotion there's going to be a problem and your six month agony just might make sense.

 

Best wishes,

Mark