Anyone been using Rogaine (or similar) for a long time (5-10yrs or more)?

[JustAnotherOne]

Hi, I'm curious about both the short-term and long-term effects of Rogaine, or similar options. My story and question below:

I'm just about to turn 27 and I'm definitely a Norwood 2 (maybe 2a honestly), pretty much like Jon Hamm's hairline is what I have, except the part I'm worried about is my hairline on my right side is thinner than anywhere else. If that area could be thickened up, I'd really just like to maintain what I have for as long as I can.

I've heard Rogaine or other topical solutions can actually temporarily cause hair loss around the region it's being applied when you're first trying it out. Any truth there? I know it usually takes 4-6 months to start working at all, I'd just rather not lose hair, or make it thinner, during those 6 months.

Also, I was hoping to pull a Steve Carell and not have to do anything about my hair until later (mid-30s or later) but I don't think that's an option for me. So has anyone been maintaining their hair for 10yrs or more? Or is that too long? I just didn't want my body to get used to the Rogaine and then become immune to it or something like that after taking it for a long time.

I can provide photos of my hair if necessary, but it's late right now so I'll do it tomorrow or if someone requests. Thanks!

Because of what I see in my family(see below), I'd really just be happy to thicken up a little bit and maintain until I'm 60ish.....after that I don't care at all hah

Family hair loss side notes:
My dad(48yrs) and 1 of his brothers(40yrs) are Norwood 2a, another one might be a 3(53yrs), and his 3rd brother(50yrs) has a full head of hair basically. My grandfather on that side is between a 3v and 4, and his hair is pretty thin, he's in his 70s though. My uncle and grandfather on my mom's side both have pretty full heads of hair, though my grandfather's is a little thin since he's in his 70s.

 

[longhair1983]

Not all people will have increased hair loss temporarily when using minoxidil. I didn't experience that.

 

[WarLord]

Hi, I'm curious about both the short-term and long-term effects of Rogaine, or similar options. My story and question below:

I'm just about to turn 27 and I'm definitely a Norwood 2 (maybe 2a honestly), pretty much like Jon Hamm's hairline is what I have, except the part I'm worried about is my hairline on my right side is thinner than anywhere else. If that area could be thickened up, I'd really just like to maintain what I have for as long as I can.

I've heard Rogaine or other topical solutions can actually temporarily cause hair loss around the region it's being applied when you're first trying it out. Any truth there? I know it usually takes 4-6 months to start working at all, I'd just rather not lose hair, or make it thinner, during those 6 months.

Also, I was hoping to pull a Steve Carell and not have to do anything about my hair until later (mid-30s or later) but I don't think that's an option for me. So has anyone been maintaining their hair for 10yrs or more? Or is that too long? I just didn't want my body to get used to the Rogaine and then become immune to it or something like that after taking it for a long time.

I can provide photos of my hair if necessary, but it's late right now so I'll do it tomorrow or if someone requests. Thanks!

Because of what I see in my family(see below), I'd really just be happy to thicken up a little bit and maintain until I'm 60ish.....after that I don't care at all hah

Family hair loss side notes:
My dad(48yrs) and 1 of his brothers(40yrs) are Norwood 2a, another one might be a 3(53yrs), and his 3rd brother(50yrs) has a full head of hair basically. My grandfather on that side is between a 3v and 4, and his hair is pretty thin, he's in his 70s though. My uncle and grandfather on my mom's side both have pretty full heads of hair, though my grandfather's is a little thin since he's in his 70s.

Nobody can predict, how you will react to minoxidil. But the stuff works much better than most of the whining hypochondriacs on internet message boards think. I have been on it for 15,5 years and I have lost NO hair. Only last summer I added 5-AR blocker, to be "ahead" of the balding process. But I think that the stuff would work forever, especially considering that the activity of androgens in my age (39) starts to decrease.

The biggest problem I see lies in discipline. I think that only few percent of people are enough disciplined to use it every day for many years. This may also be the reason, why it "loses efficiacy" in some guys, who don't take it regularly. I have always used it only once daily, by the way (roughly 3.5 ml at once). Using it twice daily would be insane. The recommendation to use it twice daily is anyway based on the half-life of minoxidil in the blood (4-5 hours). In reality, the half-life of minoxidil in the skin is cca 22 hours.