Aesthetic Success On Minoxidil Foam. Still Skeptical.

[pauliewalnuts]

Hey guys, just updating on my 4 month results. I find the photos encouraging and the general look/feel of my hair now compared to before I started using minoxidil foam has definitely improved. However, since using it I have come to notice that this apparent success may be superficial.

What I mean by this is that minoxidil foam (have not used liquid solution yet) seems to linger in your hair shafts and actually makes them thicker in the same way that Toppik does. This is why you get the classic 'flaking'. It's not the scalp/dandruff that is flaking, but in fact dried minoxidil foam flaking from your hair.

On the one hand this realization is quite discouraging because it essentially means that a lot of minoxidil foam results (I include myself) are not real results, they are an illusion in the same way Toppik is, on the other hand - it looks better so who cares! Whilst I am hoping that I am wrong on this it does seem to be sound explanation in my case. The penny dropped for me after I inadvertently went 3 days without applying the foam. To my horror, my 'results' seemed to disapate and revert back to the baseline look/feel. I have not had the balls to cease use for more than a few days, but now I am quite tempted as I feel the whole minoxidil thing is a cop-out. I have looked online for other users who share my view that minoxidil results are not genuine, but so far nobody seems to have attributed their success with the fact that a load of dried foam particles are caught up in between hair shafts, giving an aesthetically improved result. Any way I've uploaded photos as promised and am interested to hear your thoughts on this.

Basline - https://postimg.org/image/70xihm7on/

4 months - https://postimg.org/image/78si0joxt/

 

[Roberto_72]

Looks like real progress!

 

[Oliver510]

The product is applied to the scalp not the hair, and is meant to evaporate. If what your saying is true putting on 4 months worth of the foam should give an immediate result but it doesn't. And anything that would be left would wash out. Anyway, those are good results.

 

[pauliewalnuts]

The product is applied to the scalp not the hair, and is meant to evaporate. If what your saying is true putting on 4 months worth of the foam should give an immediate result but it doesn't. And anything that would be left would wash out. Anyway, those are good results.

First off, you can't apply anything to your scalp without some getting in your hair - you just can't (unless you're already bald). The action of the foam particles clinging to hair shafts takes at least several days so there will not be instant result. In my opinion this action effects people who use hair spray as it locks in minoxidil to your hair shafts.

I am 90% sure my theory on this is correct and all of my 'progress' is not actual growth. My aim is to carry on and at least reach the 1 year mark before taking a 2 week break to see if there is a noticeable difference.

 

[Oliver510]

First off, you can't apply anything to your scalp without some getting in your hair - you just can't (unless you're already bald). The action of the foam particles clinging to hair shafts takes at least several days so there will not be instant result. In my opinion this action effects people who use hair spray as it locks in minoxidil to your hair shafts.

I am 90% sure my theory on this is correct and all of my 'progress' is not actual growth. My aim is to carry on and at least reach the 1 year mark before taking a 2 week break to see if there is a noticeable difference.

Where has it been said rogaine foam has any cosmetic thickening properties?

 

[pauliewalnuts]

Where has it been said rogaine foam has any cosmetic thickening properties?

That is the point I am making. People confuse cosmetic results for actual growth.

In my case I think the majority of the 'improvement' is just cosmetic effect of dry foam clinging to the actual hair shafts rather than increased growth.

 

[Oliver510]

That is the point I am making. People confuse cosmetic results for actual growth.

In my case I think the majority of the 'improvement' is just cosmetic effect of dry foam clinging to the actual hair shafts rather than increased growth.

Why do you think the dry foam clings and makes a cosmetic thickening effect? Where has this been suggested?

 

[pauliewalnuts]

Where has this been suggested?

I am suggesting it in this thread. It is the point of this thread. If you read my first post I explain why I first became suspicious to the possibilty of minoxidil behaving like Toppik after my hair reverted back to baseline all of a sudden. This occured 2 months after initially improving. It reverted in a 3 days after ceasing use of minoxidil foam. My conclusion is that it appeared thinner again after all the dried, white particles had washed out.

Note: it is also my beleif that using hairspray definitely seems to increase minoxidil foam clinging to hair shafts. This 'clinging' persists even after a couple of washes with shampoo. I actually stopped using toppik a few years ago becuase it became too dificult to wash out of my hair and the 'clinging' was visible.

 

[pauliewalnuts]

Why do you think the dry foam clings and makes a cosmetic thickening effect? Where has this been suggested?

1) my hair reverted back to baseline within days of ceasing use
2) using deductive reasoning, there are two explanations as to why my 'results' reverted:
A) My hair shed massively from ceasing minoxidil, causing the world's worst telegen effuvium and within 3 days I lost enough hair to make a significant cosmetic difference (yet this monster shed somehow happens without me noticing).
B) My hair stayed the same and something else made it appear thinner

3) The only change to my hair was that minoxidil foam fibres were no longer in it (after 3 days of washing with no new applications).

4) This lead me to the conclusion that the minoxidil foam itself works in the similar way as toppik does with the actual fibres that it leaves in your hair causing it to look and feel thicker (these fibres can be seen as flakes)

I hope this clears it up for you that this is what I am suggesting.

 

[transam]

1) my hair reverted back to baseline within days of ceasing use
2) using deductive reasoning, there are two explanations as to why my 'results' reverted:
A) My hair shed massively from ceasing minoxidil, causing the world's worst telegen effuvium and within 3 days I lost enough hair to make a significant cosmetic difference (yet this monster shed somehow happens without me noticing).
B) My hair stayed the same and something else made it appear thinner

3) The only change to my hair was that minoxidil foam fibres were no longer in it (after 3 days of washing with no new applications).

4) This lead me to the conclusion that the minoxidil foam itself works in the similar way as toppik does with the actual fibres that it leaves in your hair causing it to look and feel thicker (these fibres can be seen as flakes)

I hope this clears it up for you that this is what I am suggesting.

Yeah, I dunno dude...

When I used minoxidil, it legit regrew my hair. I can tell because when I'd buzzcut my hair, it'd be thick...all over. No thin spots

 

[Heat06]

It what you are referencing is minoxidil causing an instant thickening effect, then yes, I agree. That is what it does to most and many people experience this upon applying. I do not believe minoxidil regrows my hair personally, but it does thicken it once I apply it. I have been on minoxidil for 7 years. Not to get off topic, but it does age my skin pretty badly. It also caused wrinkles on my forehead which sucks. I have dealt with these issues because the thickening effect and "potential" of it keeping the hair I have forces me to. Bottom line, I do agree with you that for many it will thicken or create the illusion of more hair, but not necessarily regrow any.

 

[worm]

to me it looks like you have had regrowth. You can tell that by the change in color, therefore texture of your hair. It's much darker and that shows thicker hair. I really dont think it's toppik/cosmetic type effect. Just my two cents.

Im not on anything but zix, though im tempted to use minoxidil. So far i havent though....

 

[Oliver510]

Im not on anything but zix, though im tempted to use minoxidil. So far i havent though....

Hey what's "zix"?