Shedding like crazy

[okman]

Hi all,

I am new here so I'll give a brief history:

• Up to 22 years old, nice full hair.[/*:m:2c182iql]
• Started losing a lot of hair in my hands when I gelled my hair up or would wash it in the shower, was not sure if it was due to male pattern baldness or stress from school (Telogen Effluvium). Hair loss was mainly in the frontal/top area of head.[/*:m:2c182iql]
• Was concerned because hair was shedding more than normal, went on Nioxin shampoo as adviced by barber.[/*:m:2c182iql]
• No luck, went to dermatologist and he suggested I start minoxidil 5% 2x a day.[/*:m:2c182iql]
• Started using minoxidil, continued to shed, then eventually stopped shedding hair, seemed to be working. GF believed I had more hair than before, family agreed. I was happy. ~ 6 months into the treatment[/*:m:2c182iql]
• Did not like the effects of minoxidil (dry scalp, itchy, white flakes).[/*:m:2c182iql]
• Started using minoxidil ~ 1x a day, sometimes skipping days for about a month or two.[/*:m:2c182iql]
• Eventually got bad about the minoxidil for about 2 weeks since I was upset about the flaking, this was before I knew about nizoral.[/*:m:2c182iql]
• Started experiencing shedding again, got back on minoxidil 2x a day after about the whole 1x a day and on-off period. Have been using minoxidil 2x a day for about a month and a half solid again.[/*:m:2c182iql]
• Still shedding again, like before, shedding a lot though.[/*:m:2c182iql]
• I'm still shedding, even though I'm using the minoxidil 2x a day for about 2 months (I'm about 8 months into the time I started minoxidil). My hair is visibly thinner in the frontal area, especially if you look from above. It is only thin in the areas where I've been applying the minoxidil.[/*:m:2c182iql]

My concern is that the intial hair loss I had might have been due t Telogen Effluvium, stress from school, lack of sleep, girlfriend breaking up with me stress, etc.
Both my mom and dad's side of the familys did not have male pattern baldness.
I am afraid I jumped the gun on the minoxidil and might have done more damage than good.

So my questions are:
I know shedding is due to the minoxidil working, but do you think if I slowly stopped using the minoxidil that my shedding may stop and that my hair might naturally grow back (if it was really due to Telogen Effluvium)?

Does hair that shed with minoxidil grow back eventually (naturally) if the hair loss was due to Telogen Effluvium?

 

[okman]

Basically I don't want to keep using the minoxidil if I dont need to. I'm hoping that my hair loss was due to Telogen Effluvium, and that my EXCESSIVE shedding is due to the minoxidil.

If that is the case, then would my hair grow back eventually if I went cold turkey or would I not grow back the hair that was shed from the minoxidil medicine?

 

[okman]

80 views and no replies? please give me some input

 

[SE-freak]

okman:

Let me put it this way, if you are not balding, your follicles are phat and healthy. After the days off will come back producing hair of good quality.

Now, if you do have male pattern baldness, realise that minoxidil is not cologne, it is a treatment and you will have to keep using it consistently if you want your follicles to keep being signaled to produce keratin. On-offing minoxidil could lead to a serious shedding period and I guess that this is what you are going through.

I sense that flaking was not the real reason for starting to neglect your treatment. The real reason was sweet results, relaxing, being bored - all these combined with a nice dose of denial about your initial situation.

People with results tend to losen up, start skipping doses and forget where they are coming from. I guess you get my point.

Now, I would say visit a derm and get diagnosed with male pattern baldness or not, or at least post some pictures here. If you decide to treat your male pattern baldness you will have to understand that this will go on and on for as long as you want your hair to stay put. Do not skip applications,use Nizoral and given that you are male pattern baldness hit, consider using an inhibitor too, since minoxidil is merely stimulating growth, not preventing DHT messing with your precious follicles.

Keep us up to date with your situation.
All the best,

SE

 

[follicle84]

If you had Telogen Effluvium your hair would be thinning all over your head, non male pattern baldness areas included. The good news is hairloss from Telogen Effluvium usually comes back.

Heres a source on it http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23068833/

If you are worried about flaking on minoxidil then look for minoxidil no- ppg. You wont get the flaking that normal minoxidil gives you. Best of luck.

 

[okman]

My derm said that using minoxidil once a day will help maintain hair, as opposed to 2x a day stimulating new hairs to grow. is this true?

 

[Jm0311]

i would assume that is true......to an extent

 

[SE-freak]

My derm said that using minoxidil once a day will help maintain hair, as opposed to 2x a day stimulating new hairs to grow. is this true?

This is not true. Even one aplication per day could lead to new growth for some. Even 4 applications per day could lead to maintenance or degrading haircounts for others. There is no such logic- minoxidil is a stimulant, whether or not will add some hair improving your baseline image or merely maintaining your initial haircounts is a matter of pharmacogenetics/speed of your male pattern baldness progressing.