Oral Minoxidil- Experience and Results

[Petroholic]

After contemplating and researching for a long time, I finally started Oral minoxidil 1.25mg daily on 21/3/2024. I am at close to a month now. I was thinking about continuing my old hair transplant thread but made a new one as I thought it will get more views. The plan is to increase it by 0.625mg every month till I reach 5 mg and watch out for all side-effects.

 

Its already been close to a month and I have upped the dose to 1.25mg / 2.5mg on alternate days i.e have increased the dose by 0.625mg from the previous month.

 

Sideffects: Keeping a close eye but none reported so far

Results: Too soon. But there was a surprise, I can say with surity (Not a Placebo, for sure )that around the 20 day mark, my hair shed had reduced. I wasn't  shedding much previously. It was just that when I used to comb my hair, bath  etc, there were 5-10 hair on the brush etc. these are close to 1-5 now.

 

I will keep the thread updated. Will also add pictures.

Edited April 18 by Petroholic

[Shadman]

@Petroholic my experience with oral minoxidil was great I was on 2.5 mg of oral minoxidil for eight months. 

Keep us updated about your progress

[bigmistake]

20 minutes ago, Shadman said:

@Petroholic my experience with oral minoxidil was great I was on 2.5 mg of oral minoxidil for eight months. 

Keep us updated about your progress

Are you no longer on oral minoxidil ?

[Gatsby]

I would recommend that you should be guided by your doctor/dermatologist when taking this. Personally I started on 2.5mg a day for three months and then upped the dose to 5mg a day by my dermatologist. I’ve been on this regimen now for a year and a half (?). My native and transplanted hair as well as my beard feels thicker and stronger and I believe stays in the anagen phase longer. I haven’t experienced any side effects and for someone who cannot take Finasteride, oral minoxidil has been a God send. 🙏

[Shadman]

1 hour ago, bigmistake said:

Are you no longer on oral minoxidil ?

I've been using one single topical solution. Which is a combination of 5% minoxidil & 0.1% finasteride solution. I want to see how I'm responding to topical finasteride. I did face sides with oral finasteride. 

[bigmistake]

1 hour ago, Shadman said:

I've been using one single topical solution. Which is a combination of 5% minoxidil & 0.1% finasteride solution. I want to see how I'm responding to topical finasteride. I did face sides with oral finasteride. 

I've used it, its not very effective. .25% gel is slightly better.

[Shadman]

3 minutes ago, bigmistake said:

I've used it, its not very effective. .25% gel is slightly better.

Did you face any sides with any of those ? 

[Melvin- Admin]

1.25mg is low. I think the minimum to see results is 2.5mg.

[bigmistake]

7 hours ago, Shadman said:

Did you face any sides with any of those ? 

No side effects. 6+ months of use. 

[Petroholic]

10 hours ago, Gatsby said:

I would recommend that you should be guided by your doctor/dermatologist when taking this. Personally I started on 2.5mg a day for three months and then upped the dose to 5mg a day by my dermatologist. I’ve been on this regimen now for a year and a half (?). My native and transplanted hair as well as my beard feels thicker and stronger and I believe stays in the anagen phase longer. I haven’t experienced any side effects and for someone who cannot take Finasteride, oral minoxidil has been a God send. 🙏

Yes Gatsby, it is under my HT doctor's supervision. Thank you for your review. Its highly encouraging.

 

2 hours ago, Melvin- Admin said:

1.25mg is low. I think the minimum to see results is 2.5mg.

I am titrating it up every month slowly as I am afraid of the side-effects and shedding. I was on 1.25mg for a month. Will stay on 1.875mg this month. If all goes well, will increase to 2.5 mg next month. The plan is to go till 5mg but slowly, then remain at 5 mg for 6-8 months to get the full results snd then take 2.5mg as maintenance dose for a long time.

Surprisingly, I can say with surity that even with 1.25mg dose my hair shedding has reduced. I noticed this at around 25 days into the treatment.

 

 

Edited April 18 by Petroholic

[sunsurfhair]

On 4/18/2024 at 5:53 AM, Gatsby said:

I would recommend that you should be guided by your doctor/dermatologist when taking this. Personally I started on 2.5mg a day for three months and then upped the dose to 5mg a day by my dermatologist. I’ve been on this regimen now for a year and a half (?). My native and transplanted hair as well as my beard feels thicker and stronger and I believe stays in the anagen phase longer. I haven’t experienced any side effects and for someone who cannot take Finasteride, oral minoxidil has been a God send. 🙏

Same for me. Absolute god send. 5mg for over a year already. Zero sides. 

[4Godot]

5 hours ago, sunsurfhair said:

Same for me. Absolute god send. 5mg for over a year already. Zero sides. 

Do people generally feel oral minoxidil could halt or substantially slow hair loss by itself? Or only as an adjunct? I really dont do well with the hormonal/ finasteride meds

[Viney]

Please keep us updated, especially with pictures if possible. Just want to confirm this will be the only hairloss medication you'll be taking for now?

I got decent growth when I introduced min (sublingual), but I started taking dutasteride at the exact same time, so it's hard for me to measure if the growth came from min, dut or both. Curious to see how you go with it.

[Petroholic]

2 hours ago, Viney said:

Please keep us updated, especially with pictures if possible. Just want to confirm this will be the only hairloss medication you'll be taking for now?

I got decent growth when I introduced min (sublingual), but I started taking dutasteride at the exact same time, so it's hard for me to measure if the growth came from min, dut or both. Curious to see how you go with it.

Sure . Will add pics as well.

 

my regimen is as follows

1mg fin daily - 11 years on it

0.5 mg dutasteride weekly once

nizoral 2% shampoo- weekly once 

 

I have been on these for years and am only adding oral minoxidil now.

 

 

[Melvin- Admin]

22 hours ago, sunsurfhair said:

Same for me. Absolute god send. 5mg for over a year already. Zero sides. 

Same.

[Petroholic]

1st potential side effect (unsure ) after 1 month:

 

Guys has anyone noticed an itchy scalp after using oral minoxidil ?

I know its a side effect of topical minoxidil but I think I am experiencing the same with oral minoxidil.

I tried searching on google but couldn't find anything.

Its not a big concern but worth noting nonetheless

Will keep you guys posted

 

 

[salsazio]

heart side effects?

Edited Sunday at 08:24 AM by salsazio

[Nolan]

My resting heart rate increased by 10bpm after being on 2.5mg daily for 6 months. 

I've paused the oral minoxidil for now and seems my resting heart rate is back to normal.

Has anyone else heard of or experienced this?



 

[Petroholic]

No Side-effects related to heart till now.

7 hours ago, salsazio said:

heart side effects?

 

7 hours ago, Nolan said:

My resting heart rate increased by 10bpm after being on 2.5mg daily for 6 months. 

I've paused the oral minoxidil for now and seems my resting heart rate is back to normal.

Has anyone else heard of or experienced this?



 

 

[alopie]

On 4/20/2024 at 2:04 AM, 4Godot said:

Do people generally feel oral minoxidil could halt or substantially slow hair loss by itself? Or only as an adjunct? I really dont do well with the hormonal/ finasteride meds

There are some studies that suggest minoxidil has the potential to alter dht pathways, and a dose of 5mg daily would significantly postpone and slow down your androgenic alopecia. My dermatologist advised me to use a lower dose (2mg oral daily) with a topical solution (5% once daily) for a better outcome. If you could add 0.25mg  oral finasteride every other day, that would be great too, for most people that combo might be enough to halt hair loss. Go to 0.75mg oral fin daily and 5mg oral min and you are likely entering the reversal phase 

[Petroholic]

On 4/19/2024 at 8:04 PM, 4Godot said:

Do people generally feel oral minoxidil could halt or substantially slow hair loss by itself? Or only as an adjunct? I really dont do well with the hormonal/ finasteride meds

As per scientific research, Minoxidil (Oral or Topical) is an adjunct treatment only. Fin/Dutasteride are the main and the first treatment that should be added.