Please Share With Me Your Minoxidil Experiences

[Pavi]

It has officially been a year since I began rogaine + lasercomb + 2% Keto. To say I'm above baseline is an understatement. I am almost to the point I was before I noticed my hair loss.

I just want you guys to share with me your long term minoxidil results. I have had 3 dermatologists tell me that young men can stay at or above baseline on minoxidil for 3-5 years without using an antiandrogen. They say that is what they see in their practices.

What are your experiences?

 

[Rofler]

Yeah. I have a question too.

Does Minoxidil work for diffusual alopecia?

I have lost many hairs due to alchogol and infection on my head. Now I am cured. I've visited dermatologist and she said I have no minituarized follicles.

So have I just lost my follicles for ever? Can I regrow some hair with Minoxidil or it only works for Androgenetic Alopecia (Androgenetic Alopecia) with minituarized follicles?

Sorry for my English.

 

[Raz]

It's hard to say, because many people double dip with minoxidil and Finasteride, including myself, so giving you an account of my results would mean that I am describing the drugs' efficacy as a combo, rather than what minoxidil-only would do.

That being said, I was off Finasteride for about 9-10 months and stayed on a minoxidil-only (5%) regimen, using it once a day during that period of time. I kept losing a little density over time between months 3 and 10, but I mostly maintained my-then gains on minoxidil. No doubt I would have lost more had I stayed off finasteride longer. (Started seeing a difference by month 3-4, going from no shedding to lots of hair everywhere). I might have also lost less during that time if I did minoxidil twice a day, but anyway, it's a slow but steady decay, if you have already achieved results.

Most of my regrowth results are from minoxidil - I went from a Norwood 3.5V or a NW4V to a little thin Norwood 1.5~, and I was on finasteride only for nearly a year before getting on minoxidil, after which point I got those results when I added minoxidil - so I know (most of) the regrowth is from minoxidil. But that being said, it's the finasteride that makes me maintain and thus enables minoxidil to do its work without any decay so to speak - and I know this because I kept losing ground when I was off finasteride for that 9-10 months or so.

So yeah, even if you did get gains on minoxidil, it might be more or less offset by the hair loss that keeps on going - if not offset to such a degree that you just keep losing even with the regrowth you might be getting, as even with any regrowth, the fundamental balding process is not stopped, unlike if you're on an anti-androgen. Now that I am back to finasteride, I can tell you that the shedding has come to a complete halt (whether it be hairs on the pillow, or in the shower, etc), so I'm likely to bounce back up with minoxidil.

That being said, I haven't found any decay in minoxidil results (relating to its efficacy over time), aside from losing ground when I temporarily stopped finasteride - and I have been on minoxidil for 2+ years.

So, TL;DR: consider getting on finasteride? Good luck.

 

[Rofler]

Raz, but what if cause of hairloss wasn't DHT (testerone) but an infection or very bad diet (alcohol and very small amount of food)?

Can I take my hair back by minoxidil or follicles died?

 

[That Guy]

Well, I've only been on it around 5-6 months, but already I've seen results. My left temple is probably about 75% of where it used to be and I noticed the other day I have regrowth on the right as well.

I have got some side effects though. Bad dandruff and hypertrichosis. Small price to pay and I think I could switch to foam to stop the flaking of the scalp, but I'm worried that it wouldn't be as effective as liquid. ?

 

[resu]

I'm going to try the foam, the liquid... I don't know if it was the strong smell of alcohol but it really irritated my eyes. Results with liquid were average and with what we can expect from it.

 

[yetti]

ive been on 5%minoxidil liquid for a year. i use it once a day, at night, about 4 ml, on the crown and hairline. i dont use finasteride. i have a bit more hair than when i started. ive basically decided that ill never go on finasteride, so its good that im satisfied with minoxidil. i know youre asking about long term use, and this is only a year... anyway thats been my experience.

 

[Pavi]

Yeah I have always heard it's long term use isn't effective. My derms have said that in clinical use they see JT maintain hair for years. For me, it has done a lot. I just need it to maintain my hair until 2018 lol

 

[yetti]

tell me about 2018. effective new drug? for real?

 

[SmoothSailing]

On it 4 months. Noticed new hairs along my hairline (where I apply it) after the first month. They've grown since then although slower than the rest of my hair. I haven't sprouted any new ones since that first month but all my hair seems thicker and looks healthier. I've had comments from people, someone asked me if I dyed my hair. Very happy so far.

No new hairs on bald part of my temple, just all around it where my hair was thin and along my hairline.


For your information, I believe that if you have success with minoxidil you can expect to always have +15% to +30% from what you would have without minoxidil. So if after 3 years I will have less than I do now, but (about 20%) more than I would have had in 3 years without minoxidil.