Oral Minoxidil vs Topical Minoxidil Which is Better?

[Melvin- Admin]

1 hour ago, Mycroft said:

Seems like that would be a reasonably safe bet. I have also heard of people splitting their daily dose in two with half in the morning and half in the evening. I've seen a number of anecdotes where patients experiencing side effects solved their issue with this approach.

 

Yea i'm getting the 5mg tablets, so i'm gonna cut them into fourths, and maybe i'll try that approach as well cutting the fourth to half and taking it at different times. I have heard too many good things by top docs to not give it a shot. 

[Curious25]

Are you going to discontinue the topical? 

[giegnosiganoe]

How are you guys getting prescribed oral minoxidil in the US? Did you only have luck through HT doctors?

My primary care physician didn't feel comfortable prescribing it. I'm on a more flexible insurance plan now and thinking of shopping around until I find a dermatologist who will prescribe it.

[Mycroft]

11 hours ago, giegnosiganoe said:

How are you guys getting prescribed oral minoxidil in the US? Did you only have luck through HT doctors?

My primary care physician didn't feel comfortable prescribing it. I'm on a more flexible insurance plan now and thinking of shopping around until I find a dermatologist who will prescribe it.

I've heard that some dermatologists will prescribe it. You might be more convincing if you link to some of the articles written by doctors who prescribe it more regularly in their practice.

[ciaus]

12 hours ago, giegnosiganoe said:

How are you guys getting prescribed oral minoxidil in the US? Did you only have luck through HT doctors?

Yea that was how I found out about oral minoxidil and got the prescription, never needed to try another doctor.

[LondonRamen]

Intriguing, I just had a look at this page for loniten (2.5mg oral minoxidl).

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/4294/smpc

Unless i'm mistaken, the manufacturer lists quite a few side effects as being more than 'Very Common' (> 10% chance).

 

Seem pretty risky imo. I don't think these sides are permanent though, so you could take the dice roll on this and if you get sides switch back to topical.

Edited January 9, 2021 by LondonRamen

[ciaus]

12 minutes ago, LondonRamen said:

Intriguing, I just had a look at this page for loniten (2.5mg oral minoxidl).

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/4294/smpc

Unless i'm mistaken, the manufacturer lists quite a few side effects as being more than 'Very Common' (> 10% chance).

 

That chart is not based on 2.5mg dosage. Up further on that page the recommended dosage is starting at 2 pills a day (5mg) and higher. The potential for side effects are much lower when taking less than 5mg a day.

 

[LondonRamen]

3 minutes ago, ciaus said:

 

That chart is not based on 2.5mg dosage. Up further on that page the recommended dosage is starting at 2 pills a day (5mg) and higher. The potential for side effects are much lower when taking less than 5mg a day.

 

oh, good catch! I missed that. Saw 2.5mg in the page title and assumed that was the dosage.

But also, god damn, some people are taking 100mg a day!

Edited January 9, 2021 by LondonRamen

[Melvin- Admin]

Yes, the incidence of side effects is a lot lower at 2.5mg. 

[JohnBob]

What do you guys think for Tretinoin? Supposedly it is a minoxidil booster that helps converting non responders into responders of the drug.

[Seniormido]

What about Nonoxidil ?!

[Seniormido]

7 minutes ago, JohnBob said:

What do you guys think for Tretinoin? Supposedly it is a minoxidil booster that helps converting non responders into responders of the drug.

Tretinoin is retinoic acid or synthetic vitamin A. It’s used for acne.

[JohnBob]

10 minutes ago, Seniormido said:

Tretinoin is retinoic acid or synthetic vitamin A. It’s used for acne.

"Tretinoin enhances minoxidil response in androgenetic alopecia patients by upregulating follicular sulfotransferase enzymes" https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30974011/

[giegnosiganoe]

4 hours ago, JohnBob said:

What do you guys think for Tretinoin? Supposedly it is a minoxidil booster that helps converting non responders into responders of the drug.

I use tretinoin on my face (it's good for skin anti-aging), and after applying I just rub off my fingers on my hairline. I apply minoxidil right after. Haven't really noticed any difference though.

[JohnBob]

4 minutes ago, giegnosiganoe said:

I use tretinoin on my face (it's good for skin anti-aging), and after applying I just rub off my fingers on my hairline. I apply minoxidil right after. Haven't really noticed any difference though.

Interesting. Did you have any gains from minoxidil before rubbing some tretinoin in your hairline? 

[giegnosiganoe]

Just now, JohnBob said:

Interesting. Did you have any gains from minoxidil before rubbing some tretinoin in your hairline? 

Hmm I'm not sure when I started rubbing it into the hairline more regularly. I might not even be applying enough the way I'm doing it though.

But I haven't really noticed any benefit from minoxidil whatsoever. It's difficult to tell as a diffuse thinner anyhow. That's why I've been thinking of trying oral minoxidil.

[Wit23]

Can I take minoxidil topical 5% by mouth? because I can't find oral tablet in my country

[ciaus]

1 hour ago, Wit23 said:

Can I take minoxidil topical 5% by mouth? because I can't find oral tablet in my country

There was a guy that had a topic over in the hair loss drug section that said he was drinking it. I tried to warn him against it. Here's the label for one of the more popular brands of minoxidil sold in the USA, the Kirkland brand. It clearly has a warning about swallowing it

 

[Wit23]

Thanks for your reply. I am very desperate to buy the medicine unfortunately there are no one to deliver it to my country

[TorontoMan]

I actually have a very small degree of Leukopenia, where my white blood cell count seems to hover around the low range. My WBC is 3.8 & the healthy range is 4-11. I test this every 4 months or so, and it has on a few tests fallen back into the healthy range. This is by no means to introduce some insecurity about oral minoxidil, rather you should go for complete blood work and get a blood pressure monitor and track your numbers for at least 4 weeks to get an average. There is some chance that I naturally have a lower WBC count and the topical minoxidil I apply twice daily for the most part may be pushing it slightly out of range. I started minoxidil at around the same time I even began checking my blood work (about 2 years ago), so to discern whats causing it may mean I'll go off it for a few months to see. 

I don't have any problems otherwise, thankfully I'm healthy and active and I actually don't get sick very often at all. Just make sure you do all your due diligence before hopping on is all. 

[hybonix]

@Melvin-ModeratorAny updates on your progress with oral minix? Almost at the three month mark and that should be enough to let us know if you kept your gains from topical or grew even more.

[Ajamilo]

On 3/27/2021 at 6:32 PM, hybonix said:

@Melvin-ModeratorAny updates on your progress with oral minix? Almost at the three month mark and that should be enough to let us know if you kept your gains from topical or grew even more.

This

@kirkland and @Melvin-Moderator - do you guys have any update for us?  

[Mycroft]

The questions were not directed at me, but I've been on 5mg a day now for just shy of six months. I discontinued topical a couple of months back. Definitely seeing a bit of improvement beyond what I had with topical, and of course no noticeable shed from discontinuing topical. The changes are a bit more subtle because of course I've been on topical for a while already and had some response, but the weakest hairs on my head have gotten darker and longer, and the overall scalp hair generally feels stronger.

Some minor increase in body hair growth speed. I can't grow a full beard but my stubble is definitely thicker and denser. Much of it is a bit darker as well. It also grows more quickly so I have to shave a bit more diligently than before. I actually consider this a bit of a plus. No other sides.

[JP28]

On 1/5/2021 at 2:30 AM, Gasthoerer said:

While the first might be true the second makes no sense. Minox and FIN have totally different work pathes, hence there is no connection between sides of one or the other IMO.  A lot of sides from minox coming from the other ingredients, not from minox itself. 

Anyway, oral makes IMO only sense if you are a topical non responder IMO.  

I am using FIN since 7+ years without critical side effects. Unfortunately, I got heavy skin irritations from liquid minox. I do not get any from the foam, but figured I have not enough enzymes in the skin and hence am a non responder. On oral minox I got a lot of regrowth/new growth, but also on beard and body hair. Had to stop as I could not get a prescription though and drinking the liquid gave me again skin irritations.  

Did you say that you were drinking the liquid or was it a typo? 

[SD1984]

I've been using Rogaine foam 5% on my crown for the last several years. Pretty sure its done nothing short of MAYBE maintaining some ground back there. Initially it gave me a pretty big shed then never really seemed to recover. Never used it in the front out of fear the foam could thin it out like it did the crown. Bc of the hype (and my inability to take Fin due to sides), i'm considering Oral minox. I'm wondering though does oral minox cause a shed?