Should I start oral minox 6mo before surgery?

[skyler]

Curious as to whether a FuT strip harvest from a healthy donor supply would be affected in even the smallest amount?

These minox-dependent follicles transplanted would be a disaster. How many do you think would be made between now and then, or should I just wait?

[Gatsby]

I was on oral minoxidil for about six months prior to my recent surgery. I ceased the drug two weeks before the surgery and resumed the drug two weeks post op. I don’t believe it has made any difference either way. The transplanted hair shed like it normally would. I’m sure the benefits will continue as my native hair still feels quite thick as it did after starting oral minoxidil. 

[skyler]

Thank you for replying. Looking at minox-dependent growth in the donor area prior to being harvested in a 6mo period... how many do you think of these new, minox-dependent grafts are placed by the unbeknownst surgeon that will be gone if minox usage is stopped? FuT typically only grabs super-rich section specifically do you think minoxidil in 6 months will produce any new growth (that, if transplanted, would die if let's say oral minoxidil turns out to cause heart cancer in 10 years and we all stop)? I really want to know if I should just wait 6 months so my doctor has a better understanding of my hairline PRE or AFTER minoxidil? Am I helping him by showing him where minox-dependent hairs would grow, or am I hurting the procedure because the new growth isn't really permanent and I want perm hair before minox-dependent hair comes in to bolster it?

[skyler]

 I would just like to hear arguments PRO and CON for taking it 6mo before a procedure assuming you'll have great results 

 @Melvin- Moderator please do a video ❤️

[Gatsby]

3 hours ago, skyler said:

Thank you for replying. Looking at minox-dependent growth in the donor area prior to being harvested in a 6mo period... how many do you think of these new, minox-dependent grafts are placed by the unbeknownst surgeon that will be gone if minox usage is stopped? FuT typically only grabs super-rich section specifically do you think minoxidil in 6 months will produce any new growth (that, if transplanted, would die if let's say oral minoxidil turns out to cause heart cancer in 10 years and we all stop)? I really want to know if I should just wait 6 months so my doctor has a better understanding of my hairline PRE or AFTER minoxidil? Am I helping him by showing him where minox-dependent hairs would grow, or am I hurting the procedure because the new growth isn't really permanent and I want perm hair before minox-dependent hair comes in to bolster it?

Oral minoxidil being systemic means all of your scalp hair, beard, etc will be affected by the drug. However being off the drug for 3-4 weeks is not long enough to affect your hair or to lose all your benefits if that is your concern. That's been my experience anyway. My hair now at 6 weeks post op still feels as thick as it was pre op from minoxidil. I'm not aware of oral minoxidil causing heart cancer and we have to remember that oral minoxidil has been around for a very long time. Unless you have a very weak donor area that is dependent on minoxidil then I would assume it would be safe to start for six months before surgery without giving a false idea of your donor's quality but ultimately the choice is yours and you could wait until after surgery as well. All the best!

[asterix0]

Heart cancer is pretty serious, I don't think oral minoxidil would be on the market if some link was found to that.

[TheGreatPretender]

9 hours ago, Gatsby said:

I was on oral minoxidil for about six months prior to my recent surgery. I ceased the drug two weeks before the surgery and resumed the drug two weeks post op. I don’t believe it has made any difference either way. The transplanted hair shed like it normally would. I’m sure the benefits will continue as my native hair still feels quite thick as it did after starting oral minoxidil. 

Having been on topical for two years I am just curious about how much benefit could it bring for transplanted hair though in terms of post op progress. I know each person is different but in theory it could possibly wind the clock forward a couple of months no?

This might be one of the reasons why some surgeons recommend Minoxidil (sometimes even temporarary) to get the results quicker then you would expect. I wouldn't expect it to grow it all under a month but possibly accelarate it to the point results start becoming noticeble on month 3 for example. 

[Gatsby]

12 hours ago, TheGreatPretender said:

Having been on topical for two years I am just curious about how much benefit could it bring for transplanted hair though in terms of post op progress. I know each person is different but in theory it could possibly wind the clock forward a couple of months no?

This might be one of the reasons why some surgeons recommend Minoxidil (sometimes even temporarary) to get the results quicker then you would expect. I wouldn't expect it to grow it all under a month but possibly accelarate it to the point results start becoming noticeble on month 3 for example. 

I was on topical minoxidil before switching to oral minoxidil. I’m also hoping that oral minoxidil May ‘speed up’ the growing phase post up but it’s too early too really say. Most likely it will just continue to keep my hair in the anagen phase longer, not faster. All the best. 

[skyler]

I'm going to go ahead and post my doctor's reply to my question: 

I have not started taking it yet. Do you recommend going on this before the surgery, or after? Wouldn't I need to come off so that my "natural" recession can be more apparent for my surgery? My concern: these hairs are minoxidil-dependent; I would much rather have transplanted, permanent hairs instead and start oral minoxidil after the new hairline has been created.

My doctor said it's important to initiate stabilization early in the thinning process as miniaturizing hair eventually reaches a point of no return, at which time medications are useless.  The sooner I begin stabilization, the better the retention of vulnerable hair will be  Any gain from surgery will be offset by progressive loss in the preexisting hair population if stabilization is not used or if it is not effective.  He suggested I start now. 

[sunsurfhair]

From the God of Chicagoland himself, Dr. Konior, he had me stay on oral minox (5mg) throughout my recent procedure. Zero issues with bleeding. Bruised maybe *slightly* more but that went away within a few days. Impossible to say if that was related to the Minox. No complications. 
 

I would start prior at a low starting dose, and if you’re tolerating, try to get up to 2.5 for the procedure. Without any side effects you may experience, you will only reap the benefits of the big positives. I’m thinking this may become a staple of HT procedures since it’s a med that encourages vascular flow, oxygen and nutrients to the scalp and follicles. Couldn’t ask for more as the grass is planted. 

Edited March 23, 2023 by sunsurfhair

[thetdog666]

1 hour ago, sunsurfhair said:

From the God of Chicagoland himself, Dr. Konior, he had me stay on oral minox (5mg) throughout my recent procedure. Zero issues with bleeding. Bruised maybe *slightly* more but that went away within a few days. Impossible to say if that was related to the Minox. No complications. 
 

I would start prior at a low starting dose, and if you’re tolerating, try to get up to 2.5 for the procedure. Without any side effects you may experience, you will only reap the benefits of the big positives. I’m thinking this may become a staple of HT procedures since it’s a med that encourages vascular flow, oxygen and nutrients to the scalp and follicles. Couldn’t ask for more as the grass is planted. 

What's Dr Konior take on Oral minoxidil? Does he recommend it to patients?

[sunsurfhair]

6 hours ago, thetdog666 said:

What's Dr Konior take on Oral minoxidil? Does he recommend it to patients?

Yes he does and will prescribe it 

[TheDarkHour]

On 3/11/2023 at 11:41 PM, skyler said:

I'm going to go ahead and post my doctor's reply to my question: 

I have not started taking it yet. Do you recommend going on this before the surgery, or after? Wouldn't I need to come off so that my "natural" recession can be more apparent for my surgery? My concern: these hairs are minoxidil-dependent; I would much rather have transplanted, permanent hairs instead and start oral minoxidil after the new hairline has been created.

My doctor said it's important to initiate stabilization early in the thinning process as miniaturizing hair eventually reaches a point of no return, at which time medications are useless.  The sooner I begin stabilization, the better the retention of vulnerable hair will be  Any gain from surgery will be offset by progressive loss in the preexisting hair population if stabilization is not used or if it is not effective.  He suggested I start now. 

Isn't the point of ceasing minoxidil use before a transplant to lose all your gains from the area that will be transplanted though? I guess topical min users can just stop applying it on the transplanted area e.g. hairline. But with oral you would be losing your gains everywhere. 

This topic is very interesting to me as Dr. Bisanga rejected me for a transplant due to a below average donor. He told me to start taking oral minoxidil to strengthen my donor, after which he may reconsider me for a transplant.

I've been taking oral min for almost two weeks now but if I'm using it to strengthen my donor area then wouldn't stopping it a couple of weeks before the surgery defeat the purpose of strengthening my donor area? I didn't ask Bisanga if I would have to stop oral min use before the transplant but other clinics I consulted with did. 

[SoSoz]

20 hours ago, TheDarkHour said:

oral minoxidil to strengthen my donor, after which he may reconsider me for a transplant.

hm, so basically you'll have to take it for rest of your life to not lose donor hairs based on minoxidil?

[TheDarkHour]

2 hours ago, SoSoz said:

hm, so basically you'll have to take it for rest of your life to not lose donor hairs based on minoxidil?

That's pretty much what Bisanga implied. Not sure how accurate that it is as my dad and uncles still have their donor, though my dad's one has thinned out a bit. .

[PGus]

On 3/11/2023 at 1:45 AM, asterix0 said:

Heart cancer is pretty serious, I don't think oral minoxidil would be on the market if some link was found to that.

I am a cardiologist it doesn’t cause “heart cancer”

[samz_033]

I came across this article regarding the use of oral minoxidil. Even low dose Oral minoxidil can be dangerous : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9577643/

[webathon]

On 3/23/2023 at 8:36 AM, sunsurfhair said:

Yes he does and will prescribe it 

5mg per day? or 2.5mg per day?