Minoxodil Shed 12 Months In. Should I Be Worried?

[couldbebetter]

Been using minoxodil for about a year now. I started it about 12 months before my sister's wedding hoping that I'd look good in pictures. The wedding has been and gone, and I look fine in pictures - or better than I otherwise would have.

However, a couple of weeks ago my scalp was very sore and red - and I read that that means a shed might be incoming. I've had periods where I've shed slightly more, but nothing crazy. This time around, I feel like I've lost all the progress I've made over the past 12 months - and it was, in retrospect, good progress.

My first shed a year ago was almost entirely small hairs - wispy little things. As time has gone by it seems that even most of the short wispy hairs turned into short thick hairs, which is better, right? Over the past couple of weeks I've been losing everything, from short and thin to long and thick. My hair is noticeably thinner than it was a month or so ago, and the shedding isn't really letting up.

I've read that people do occasionally shed after a year, for some reason. I'm wondering if anybody here has any experience of this? If so, am I likely to make a recovery? Will this happen next year too?

 

[couldbebetter]

Nobody?

Today I noticed far less hair in the sink after combing, and slightly less hair in the drain after my shower. That's a good sign, right? Certainly a few days ago I'd often have a hand covered in hair after using shampoo - that hasn't been the case for a couple of days now. Do sheds stop suddenly? I can't remember how my first one went.

However, my scalp is burning again. I hope that doesn't mean I'm about to have an even worse shed.

 

[stachu]

Well if nobody wants to explain it. I will.

The fact that you should already know is : Minoxidil works by increasing blood circulation to your hair folicles right? So yeah, to prevent and disturb hair loss proccess succesfully, you need also to block androgen called DHT where mainly this androgen causes Male Patern Baldness ( I bet you know it too ). Even if you will continously using minoxidil, your sheds wont stop. It almost can be worse. I was using minoxidil alone 8 months with really good gains but i lost half of them since i wasnt using an anti-androgen (any kind of dht blocker ). There is some people which they have really good progress only on minoxidil. But like as i said. Minoxidil works like ignition or starter. Without DHT reduction. You will never hold your gains in anagen phase more than half/full year.

 

[couldbebetter]

I see. I use Nizoral 2% which I'm aware is a mild DHT blocker. I use that every other wash. I started with that months before minoxodil and it was pretty effective at reducing hair loss almost immediately. Having said that I have hugely reduced my usage of Nizoral in recent months to make the bottle last - maybe I should use slightly more again.

Is there a non-finasteride DHT blocker that's any good? I really want to avoid finasteride if at all possible - I know it's supposed to be really effective but I have my reasons for wanting to avoid it

 

[stachu]

I wouldn't even try Saw Palmetto - Just waste of time in your case. Saw Palmetto may work but reducing 30% of DHT to prevent hairloss as you heard it wont help much.

Seems best option for you would be RU - used topicaly ofc.

I am eating finasteride so i cant say a lot about RU but for comparision look here and obviously you will get it http://www.ru58841.net/

Ofcourse i would use RU insteand of finasteride. But, Ru costs a lot and its first CON ( contra - against ) and knowledge/studies is second CON.

- Someone on this forum told me where i was scared about finasteride sides " Take pill or go bald then " = and i am on finasteride.

It calculating everything by itself, if not ru... Take pill or go bald then.

 

[couldbebetter]

At the very least I'll use more Nizoral and see how that goes. I am using a stupidly small amount at the minute, after all.

The potential side effects of finasteride certainly concerns me, and I'm not big on taking pills of any kind either. If it was topical I wouldn't have too much of an issue with it. I've not heard of the other two you mentioned.

Thanks, though. At least I know the shedding is normal, though that doesn't necessarily mean it's good. I'll have a think.

 

[Spellbinder]

At the very least I'll use more Nizoral and see how that goes. I am using a stupidly small amount at the minute, after all.

The potential side effects of finasteride certainly concerns me, and I'm not big on taking pills of any kind either. If it was topical I wouldn't have too much of an issue with it. I've not heard of the other two you mentioned.

Thanks, though. At least I know the shedding is normal, though that doesn't necessarily mean it's good. I'll have a think.

@couldbebetter I would strongly advice you to jump on finasteride asap, my situation on minoxidil and nizoral alone has gotten much worse now, because I was scared of finasteride at first. But I am on it since may 2016 and I have no side effects whatsoever. Do it, before it's too late, don't do the same mistake I did.