Can fin + minox increase non miniaturized hair diameter?

[NegativeNorwood]

Let's say you are not balding (or have minimal hair loss, the so called mature hairiline) and start taking oral minoxidil + oral finasteride.

Assuming your hair is, and always was, let's say 50μm on average...can it increase to 60μm (or even 70μm), or is it an unrealistic expectation?

I've read studies that showed up to 15% increase on hair diameter with oral minoxidil, but the patients already had advanced baldness:

https://journals.lww.com/cmj/Fulltext/2021/04050/Combination_therapy_with_topical_minoxidil_and.16.aspx

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7649170/

Quoting from the second study:

"Hair diameter significantly increased from baseline by 10.6% (from 58.5 ± 11.8 to 64.7 ± 15.2 μm) at 12 weeks (P = 0.002) and by 15.21% (from 58.5 ± 11.8 to 67.4 ± 14.5 μm) at 24 weeks (P < 0.001) (Table 2)."

Does that only happen to a few that have advanced baldness and are lucky enough (and the new hair diameter may be similar to the one they had as teenagers?), or is it realistic to expect the same with minimal (if any) baldness, and achieve thicker diameter hair than ever?

Edited March 3, 2023 by NegativeNorwood

[A_4_Archan]

I guess it would increase the diameter of hair of non balding person as well though the percentage may vary....still some expert doctor's opinion would be great...

[NegativeNorwood]

8 minutes ago, Archan said:

I guess it would increase the diameter of hair of non balding person as well though the percentage may vary....still some expert doctor's opinion would be great...

 

Agree, a doctor's opinion would be great.

Imagine if it does increase hair diameter in non balding people too...that would be an amazing benefit not just because of the thicker hair appearance per se, but even if that person starts balding in the future but the donor area remains thicker than before, he would have to use less grafts to cover the balding area (the thicker the hair diameter, the less follicular units are needed to cover the balding area), so he would be getting "free grafts", or better said "free coverage" and as such better graft economy (and as such, the possibility of getting more hair transplants if needed in the future). That would be a huge win.

 

Edited March 3, 2023 by NegativeNorwood

[A_4_Archan]

5 minutes ago, NegativeNorwood said:

 

Agree, a doctor's opinion would be great.

Imagine if it does increase hair diameter in non balding people too...that would be an amazing benefit not just because of the thicker hair appearance per se, but even if that person starts balding in the future but the donor area remains thicker than before, he would have to use less grafts to cover the balding area (the thicker the hair diameter, the less follicular units are needed to cover the balding area), so he would be getting "free grafts", or better said "free coverage" and as such better graft economy (and as such, the possibility of getting more hair transplants if needed in the future). That would be a huge win.

 

Yeah..bt still i dnt think so any doctor would prescribe oral minoxidil if the patient had full head of hair or average thickness with adequate density considering the side effects ....doctor would rather prescribe topical version or other multivitamins and medicines which would help the cause ...

 

[NegativeNorwood]

Shamelessly summoning 200 IQ doctors

@DrMunibAhmad @Dr. Guncel Ozturk @DrTBarghouthi @Dr Blake Bloxham

[NegativeNorwood]

4 minutes ago, Archan said:

Yeah..bt still i dnt think so any doctor would prescribe oral minoxidil if the patient had full head of hair or average thickness with adequate density considering the side effects ....doctor would rather prescribe topical version or other multivitamins and medicines which would help the cause ...

 

 

Aren't minoxidil and finasteride meant to prevent (or slow) baldness? The sooner started, the better. Side effects are reportedly very rare, and according to studies they dissapear at 2 months of continuing the medications. The risks are too low and the upsides (not starting to bald, for starters, even if the medications don't increase hair thickness) far outweight them IMO.

Edited March 3, 2023 by NegativeNorwood

[A_4_Archan]

14 minutes ago, NegativeNorwood said:

 

Aren't minoxidil and finasteride meant to prevent (or slow) baldness? The sooner started, the better. Side effects are reportedly very rare, and according to studies they dissapear at 2 months of continuing the medications. The risks are too low and the upsides (not starting to bald, for starters, even if the medications don't increase hair thickness) far outweight them IMO.

Yeh ofcourse it is meant for tht but doctor would prescribe if they see the pattern and if an individual notices regular hairfall without any other factors and even if thr is family history...if there is no chance of baldness thn i guess they won't prescribe ..

[NegativeNorwood]

1 minute ago, Archan said:

Yeh ofcourse it is meant for tht but doctor would prescribe if they see the pattern and if an individual notices regular hairfall without any other factors and even if thr is family history...if there is no chance of baldness thn i guess they won't prescribe ..

 

I don't think it works that way tbh. If I posted my pictures, I would be told here that I barely have any hairloss (it's extremely minor and has been stable for 5+ years), yet the doctors I've sent pictures to suggested starting fin and minoxidil. Same with my dermatologist.

Still, I wouldn't like to derail the thread and prefer to focus in the OP if you don't mind brother.

[NegativeNorwood]

*cries in sub 60μm* 😅

Edited March 5, 2023 by NegativeNorwood

[Dr. Guncel Ozturk]

Yes, minoxidil and oral finasteride are not specifically designed to increase hair diameter, although some studies have shown that they may have this effect (particularly in patients with advanced baldness). The earlier you start using these medications, the better chance you have of preserving your existing hair and preventing further hair loss. Results may vary from person to person; in general, it is unrealistic to expect a significant increase in hair diameter, especially if you have minimal hair loss or a mature hairline. That being said, taking these medications can still have many benefits, including preventing or slowing down hair loss, maintaining the density of your existing hair, and potentially increasing hair diameter. They can also improve your chances of success with future hair transplant procedures by providing a stronger donor area. That being said, the benefits of preventing or slowing down hair loss can be significant, and may even include regrowth of some hair in some cases. If your doctors have recommended starting minoxidil and finasteride based on their assessment of your hair loss, it may be worth considering.

[NegativeNorwood]

13 minutes ago, Dr. Guncel Ozturk said:

Yes, minoxidil and oral finasteride are not specifically designed to increase hair diameter, although some studies have shown that they may have this effect (particularly in patients with advanced baldness). The earlier you start using these medications, the better chance you have of preserving your existing hair and preventing further hair loss. Results may vary from person to person; in general, it is unrealistic to expect a significant increase in hair diameter, especially if you have minimal hair loss or a mature hairline. That being said, taking these medications can still have many benefits, including preventing or slowing down hair loss, maintaining the density of your existing hair, and potentially increasing hair diameter. They can also improve your chances of success with future hair transplant procedures by providing a stronger donor area. That being said, the benefits of preventing or slowing down hair loss can be significant, and may even include regrowth of some hair in some cases. If your doctors have recommended starting minoxidil and finasteride based on their assessment of your hair loss, it may be worth considering.

 

Thanks! I'll start oral minoxidil + oral finasteride ASAP, just wanted to know this before to get a better understanding. "Just" slowing hair loss is already a great benefit and makes it 100% worth it IMO.

To make sure I understood correctly:

- Slow hairloss, get an increase in diameter of miniaturized hairs and possibly even some hair regrowth in some individuals = realistic expectation

- Increase hair diameter of non miniaturized hairs = not possible, unrealistic expecation.

Would that be correct?

 

[Dr. Guncel Ozturk]

Yes, you are correct. Minoxidil and finasteride are primarily meant to slow down or prevent hair loss, and they can also help to increase the diameter of miniaturized hairs in some individuals. It is important to note, however, that they are not meant to increase the diameter of non-miniaturized hairs. The diameter of your hair is largely determined by your genetics and may not change significantly with these medications. That being said, slowing down or preventing further hair loss can still have a significant impact on the appearance of your hair and can help to maintain your existing hair density. It is also possible to achieve further improvements in hair thickness and coverage with hair transplant surgery, if desired.

[ljpcarrera]

I can tell you 100 percent oral minoxidil has thickened my entire scalp hair since I started on it a year ago.The hairs that fall out when I brush are all thick with a white bulb. Don’t see barely any miniaturized hair. Also, on oral dutasteride since 2001.

[NegativeNorwood]

2 hours ago, Dr. Guncel Ozturk said:

Yes, you are correct. Minoxidil and finasteride are primarily meant to slow down or prevent hair loss, and they can also help to increase the diameter of miniaturized hairs in some individuals. It is important to note, however, that they are not meant to increase the diameter of non-miniaturized hairs. The diameter of your hair is largely determined by your genetics and may not change significantly with these medications. That being said, slowing down or preventing further hair loss can still have a significant impact on the appearance of your hair and can help to maintain your existing hair density. It is also possible to achieve further improvements in hair thickness and coverage with hair transplant surgery, if desired.

 

Thanks!

I think the biggest advancement in hair treatments would be increasing native, non miniaturized hair thickness.

If someone with ie 50μm could increase it to something like 70μm on average, he would not only need less grafts to cover his baldness (and save more grafts for the future), but also would have an amazing mane compared to before.

Imagine taking that thickening medication for a year + getting a transplant, and going from this:

To something like this:

That would be mind blowing 0_0

Edited March 6, 2023 by NegativeNorwood