Rogaine foam vs Kirkland foam

[don174]

I was looking to order 5% minoxidil off the website minoxidildirect.com and noticed that rogaine5% foam is out of stock , but 5% minoxadil foam is available (and much cheaper)

Is it just as effective if I got that ?

 

As well , is generic finasteride 5 mg as effective as proscar 5mg?

I heard generics are only 80% effective since contain 20% other ingredients esp if made outside of North America . Any thoughts

 

Thanx

[NoName]

Minoxidil is Minoxidil and it will be just effective but perhaps it your hair will feel different after Kirkland Minoxidil and the application will be different. The effect for your hair growth should be the same but the factors around are the ones that matter here.

[NEWHAIRPLEASE]

Generics in the US have to go through the same standard as name brand. I've been taking the generics for a long time. You're fine with generics.

[iiieee]

I think Kirkland and Rogaine are both under Johnson & Johnson ownership, are they not? Not sure, but I saw that on another hair loss forum site. In any case, Rogaine switched it's 5% Rogaine lotion for 2% but retained the 5% packaging two years ago, so who knows what's in the foam. Also, I was pleasantly suprised when I began using a herbal replacement (Prairie Naturals, Prost-Force, Prostate Support Formula) for Propecia, it worked huge, same as Propecia (which I've also used before), works the same way at the Prostate--and no drugs!

 

Generics are probably not exactly the same either and probably differ in terms of quantity of active ingredient, too. As I've just pointed out, above, Rogaine is involved in a full on mislabelling fraud with "Rogaine Extra Strength", and my physician reminded me of a news item--in this context--with findings that vitamins often don't even come close to containing what they claim on their labels--sometimes a number of ingredients listed are not present, at all. I've recently received three different generic brands of 5% Minoxidil solution: Rite Aid, Kinney Drugs (Primier Value), and Walmart (Equate). Real 5% solution should be a slightly amber color; if you hold the bottle up to a lamp, allowing the light to pass through the bottle (the bottles are pretty much all the same), you'll see it--look for the bottom of the bottle. Real 5% smells only slightly of alcohol and somewhat like plasticine (best I can describe it). And real 5% pours and feels oily. (2% is clear, smells strongly of alcohol solvent, and pours just water).

 

Other foreign products often have no quality controls or standards at all. I've examined three, from: the UK (Minoxitop), India (Mytee-10); and Minoxidil Max (not sure where it's from) all, except the later, had added perfume (completely unacceptable in a serious medicine that will be absorbed into the blood stream for a prolonged period), and all were dark in color. The India example was brown, UK's was bright yellow; Minoxidil Max was dark amber-- all signs of impurity and lack of regulation.

 

My American generic products all seem to be relatively clear with varying shades of amber, except for the Walmart Equate--it's clear. So, I'm thinking it's way low on Minoxidil and I'm not at all suprised, in fact, I expected as much from them. Walmart has many pirated brands on its shelves and when I looked at their 2% Minoxidil years ago I threw it out before even trying it. I'm going to examine the others a little more closely and send the Walmart stuff in for testing along with fraudulent Rogaine. Let you all know.

Edited November 21, 2015 by iiieee
adding relevant info