This is it. Quitting minoxidil, gradually...

[YoungandBalding]

minoxidil is not something I want to do the rest of my life. It's a pain, and after all, I still have propecia. I am going to phase minoxidil out of my regimen over 4 more months, as I still have 4 months supply left. First gonna alternate between 1 and 2 applications of 1 ml a day, then go down to 1 application of 1 ml a day, then 1 every other day, until I just finally stop. I do not believe I will go through a big shed, as I will gradually phase it out. I do not have much hairloss except for some recession. I am a Norwood 1.5 around. I think that the solvent it's dissolved in, i.e. ppg, has actuallly hurt my scalp more than the minoxidil has actually helped.

I want to stop making such a big deal out of hairloss. Taking 1 pill a day is simple enough that I will continue to do that. Gonna keep it simple and live life without worrying too much about my hair. After all, it's just hair =)

Peace

 

[YoungandBalding]

Oh ya, forgot to add, has anyone here quit minoxidil and is doing fine without now?

 

[Green Soap]

If you have been taking it for a while, you are getting set up for a possible massive, massive shed.

I say stay on it until better weapons arrive.

Sorry kid, you're screwed. It's either the pain of minoxidil or the pain of hairloss, pick one.

You should have just had finasteride and stuck with that, unfortunately, or should I say, fortunately, your hair is "addicted" to minoxidil.

just do both. If you do plan on quitting, I would think about phasing out even slower than 4 months. Maybe 6 to 8. Plan it out. Good luck.

 

[blue]

I have the same outlook as you...im not really caring about hair....atleast not right now..........but i quit minoxidil...and im doing fine...some herpes but nothing that cant be handled .......no actually minoxidil didnt really work for me so i quit...ill wait till they have better treatments...or when my thinning becomes very noticable.

 

[socks]

Teetering on the edge Writes:

Sorry kid, you're screwed. It's either the pain of minoxidil or the pain of hairloss, pick one.

You should have just had finasteride and stuck with that, unfortunately, or should I say, fortunately, your hair is "addicted" to minoxidil.

I think your comment may be a bit misleading Teetering on the edge. While it is true that minoxidil dependent hair **will** fall out, it **WILL** grow back over the next 6months to what it would have been if you never used minoxidil.


You dont have to take my word for it though. You can look at the study Bryan gave me and look at the graphs yourself

Quitting Minoxidil


In short, minoxidil is NOT a pack with the devil... It just acts as an “augmenterâ€

 

[YoungandBalding]

Blue, how long did you take minoxidil for before quitting, how long have you been off it, and where on the scalp did you apply it? I applied it to just the hairline, and a few drops on the swirl in the back just cuz it couldn't hurt. Can recession be caused by bad scalp condition? Just wondering...

 

[socks]

YoungandBalding Writes:

Can recession be caused by bad scalp condition?

Androgenetic Alopecia hairloss is primary caused by DHT in the hair follicle cell attaching itself to the androgen receptor thus resulting in the atrophy of the hair.

Another factor that may be involved is the autoimmune response to the altered DHT hair follicles. This autoimmune response may produce a sensitive and/or tender and/or itchy scalp. This process likely accelerates the action of the Androgenetic Alopecia.


However, normal itchiness causes my artificial compounds (such as minoxidil) shouldnt cause any permanent hairloss (unless such compound somehow scars the scalp).


So, in short, yes "bad scalp condition" can contribute to Androgenetic Alopecia in certain cases depending on the aggravating factor involved... Though "bad scalp condition" in and by itself will not cause permanent hairloss unless such irritation is a result of a harsh chemical that scars the scalp.

 

[Green Soap]

Ah, I suppose you are correct. I just worry about these guys who just up and decide to stop their regimen because it is a "pain".

Hopefully all goes well.

 

[blue]

I was on it alittle over 4 months...had a huge shed ...then i was like f*** it...ill wait on this....when it comes down to it..later down the road i might take it again...but right now im not that bad....im about what you are...id say almost a Norwood 2....people cant notice so it doesnt bathoer me....i used it on my temples and my crown.......didnt use it on my entire scalp...cause you dont need to...but like you said it was kinda a hassle for me...im young and impateint so.Ive been off for about 2 months now......maybe alittle longer....no big shed from quiting it though...and yes a bad scalp can "help" male pattern baldness.

 

[viperfish]

I was on minoxidil twice, once for 5 months and once for 8. In either case I suffered no harm from quitting it, no shedding nothing. People exaggerate way toooooooooo much!

 

[YoungandBalding]

Thanks socks for the Quitting minoxidil graph. Viperfish and blue, you are the best. Thanks for the input- Now I am not as afraid about quitting minoxidil as before. I will phase it out gradually though, so as not to provoke a shed.

 

[bombscience]

I quit minoxidil because it wasn't regrowing hair, and I thought it was irritating my scalp thus making my hairloss worse. I went through a tremendous shed and I have been losing over 300 thinning hairs a day for the last 4 months.