Some guys reporting permanent beard gains from minoxidil, why are hair gains temporary?

[Dimitri001]

Apparently, Derek from More Plates More Dates has been advocating guys use minoxidil on their face to grow beards and it appears some of these guys are reporting that the gains they make in beard are permanent.

Is there any actual scientific evidence that could confirm this? Has minoxidil for beard been studied? Is there a plausible mechanistic explanation for why beard gains would be permanent when hair gains aren't?

If this is really true, and if there is an answer other there in the scientific literature for why beard gains would be permanent, perhaps we can learn something about the basic science of hairloss we don't yet know.

 

[rrbelloff]

My only comment is that oral minoxidil has made my beard go crazy. Now, if I can only transplant THAT hair to my head, all will be well.

 

[randomuser1]

Because the growth environment (dermis and blood supply) on the scalp or constantly and progressively being damaged, while facial skin receives much less damage (calcification and fibrosis).

 

[Lumalux]

My only comment is that oral minoxidil has made my beard go crazy. Now, if I can only transplant THAT hair to my head, all will be well.

I have used oral Minoxidil for several years to cause more body hair growth and it does work. Did you notice this effect from using it? It also has made my head hair curly.

 

[SnortingFinasteride]

Because head hair is constantly being attacked by T and DHT, while beard hair is stimulated by those hormones

 

[dettrick]

Because head hair is constantly being attacked by T and DHT, while beard hair is stimulated by those hormones

Exactly, what causes baldness is the hair on top of your head is susceptible to being miniaturised/attacked by DHT. The hair elsewhere on your body doesn't have this problem. Minoxidil is essentially hair fertiliser so it improves hair growth wherever it is placed, so of course it will improve beard growth, there is nothing surprising about that. And of course once a beard hair is fully grown/terminal it will be permanent