My sides are 'receeding' on minoxidil. What gives?!?

[jinx83]

This is really weird. For about 5 months I have been applying minoxidil not only on my temples area , but also on the front of my sides, to make those hair appear thicker, as I always naturally had my sides quite far away from my eyebrows, which only contributed to a cosmetical 'bigger' forhead, so I decided to improve that by thickening my sides and possibly growing some more hair on it.
I figured since these hair on the sides are androgen-immune , than I have nothing to lose, just check it out.

And now, I see that the front of my sides, where I applied minoxidil has thinned out - the density decreased in particular. But also, I see new vellus hair 'infront' of my sides, that I wanted to grow, to make my forhead appear cosmetically smaller. And also, minoxidil has induced recently massive vellus-hair-turning-dark growth on my temples, so it IS apperantly working as it should.

So why the heck am I loosing hair at the sides?!? Could be just the fact that these hair become minoxidil-depended and begin a new cycle - in other words, is it just a SHED, and the hair will come back thicker??

I mean, IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY that minoxidil can worsen and degrade your hair on the sides, which are not androgen-dependent and should last for your lifetime?

 

[HairyN]

from what ive read and learned...its probably just a shed of hairs that were in the telogen phase...androgen-immune or not all hairs that are in that phase are effected and will shed...

 

[Lizzad]

It's probably just a synchronized shed, nothing more... :rockon:

 

[Guest]

in other words, is it just a SHED, and the hair will come back thicker??

I mean, IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY that minoxidil can worsen and degrade your hair on the sides, which are not androgen-dependent and should last for your lifetime?

yea anybody know?

 

[Pelican]

From what I've read about minoxidil over the years, I'd say this:

1) According to Doctor Proctor (I believe I'm quoting him) some long time ago, in male pattern baldness the sides and back generally are not androgen dependent but they will thin out, my understanding was that there's a spread of hair nestled among the 'permanent' hair that can thin a bit.

2) Regardless, take a look at most any guy with relatively advanced recession and you'll see that the sides do indeed go back. There's at point at which it fairly much stops, but there's a buffer zone behind and below the temples that very well can and often does thin and bald. Lots of guys lose that little sideways v-shaped projection of vellous hair that juts out from the area above and in front of the ears, for example.

3) In any case, if yours wasn't already thinning, it's very, very, very likely that you're experiencing a Minoxidil-induced shed that's sending most all of the follicles there into a synchronized shed/regrowth phase. The minoxidil isn't going to hurt the hair, but it can synch the shed/growth phase so it will be more apparent to you. From what I've read of countless guys (and from docs), minoxidil has an impact all around the area to which you directly apply it. With that and the inevitable rundown from application, I personally wouldn't soak the sides in any additional. You might be able to avoid such a noticable synch shed/regrowth phase that way.