Post Rogaine Hair Shedding

[devilray]

I've been using propecia and rogaine for about 4 years effectively slowing my hair loss. About 3 months ago I decided to stop using rogaine for the usual reasons: 1/ inconvenient 2x daily use 2/ oily substance that runs down your forehead 3/ thought perhaps I didn't need it since I was using propecia.

 

Now I'm shedding big time like everyone else that has stopped rogaine. My questions are: is the excessive shedding a temporary phenomenon? When can I expect it to stop? Does the shedding prove that Rogaine was preventing hair loss that would have occurred had I not been using Rogaine? Do I get back on it despite the inconveniences because it was working and I want the shedding to stop or just ride out the excessive shedding "period" and then be glad to be done with it? thanks for any help!!

[devilray]

I've been using propecia and rogaine for about 4 years effectively slowing my hair loss. About 3 months ago I decided to stop using rogaine for the usual reasons: 1/ inconvenient 2x daily use 2/ oily substance that runs down your forehead 3/ thought perhaps I didn't need it since I was using propecia.

 

Now I'm shedding big time like everyone else that has stopped rogaine. My questions are: is the excessive shedding a temporary phenomenon? When can I expect it to stop? Does the shedding prove that Rogaine was preventing hair loss that would have occurred had I not been using Rogaine? Do I get back on it despite the inconveniences because it was working and I want the shedding to stop or just ride out the excessive shedding "period" and then be glad to be done with it? thanks for any help!!

[devilray]

Did more on-line research and thought I'd offer some pot'l insight into my own question while I wait for responses from the forum group.

 

1/ Excessive shedding during the first several weeks/months of using rogaine seems to result because the follicle is being encouraged to grow bigger hair and since it can't do that mid-stream, the follicle chooses for some reason to shed the current hair in place, goes dormant and reawakens later growing new, thicker, stronger hair. O.K. so when I stop, does the effected follicle go dormant again for awhile and then reawakens to grow continually weaker hair with the eventual "death" of the follicle.

 

2/ given the cycle issue, it seems that the excessive shedding should stop soon.

 

3/ of course, if that's true, the remaining question is should i begin again?

[Ankur FAN1]

I noticed increase shedding after I started taking propecia. I became concerned when the shedding ceased to stop. My dermatologist diagnosed the condition as Telegen Effluvium. It's a form of hair lose that occurs all over the head, unlike male pattern baldness which only occurs in precise areas. I'm still experiencing this intesne type of hair lose, although propecia has seemed to stablilize the patterned lose (been on for 4 months). Don't know if my post helps. If any other people have experienced this problem i'd love to hear about it and see how things turned out for you.

 

Ankur Fan

[devilray]

Couldn't wait for you all to respond so found out an answer. If you are on rogaine (especially the 5% vs. 2%) don't quit cold turkey and not expect shedding. The follicle goes into shock with the sudden lack of the rogaine fertilizer and becomes dormant (there's a scientific name for the phase of dormancy and think it might be called telligan phase but don't feel like trying to confirm) It's likely that after the shedding and a period of dormancy for the follicle, maybe 50% or more will overcome the shock and sprout long term successful hair again. I assume that had I phased out the rogaine I would have saved some of the follicles from reaching permanent dormancy so quickly, but the ones that my "shock" killed probably were probably weak anyway and going to die in time. This relieves some of my guilt from murdering my own follicles.

 

Now I have a choice. I can choose to stay off the rogaine (i continue propecia) which I will once I see the shedding slow to a crawl or disappear {note I believe I have seen the first signs of this after about 5 weeks of the wierd, worrisome shedding period that freaked me), start again full time or perhaps start part time [i.e. only use at night which is much more user friendly then having the "goop' in during daylight hours.] Once the shedding stops, I'm going to make the determination based on the long term hair loss trend.

 

Hope this helps someone. It sure helped me to learn what was up.