1.5 Years On Minoxodil And Hair Is Worse.

[DJC]

I started 5% minoxodil 1.5 years ago. I had massive sheds which stopped around 4 months in. 1.5 years later and my hair is thinner than it has ever been. When I take a shower I look at hairs I am loosing (not loosing much) and the hair is very, very thin suggesting it is not working. I have been on finastride for 2 years as well as supplements (biotin, etc). No noticeable improvement.

I read that shedding on minoxodil is rare but means it is working. Though I have read studies were people use natural oils (peppermint, etc) and none of them shed. I want to quite minoxodil though I am worried I will shed again and lose more hair.

If you read reviews on minoxodil, the reviews are pretty terrible, usually around the 60% approval area. I am curious if a lot of the stories are from marketing companies to sell their product.

Anyone else have a similar response?

 

[Anatoly]

potential causes:
1) poor penetration (over-active oil glands, clogged hair follicles, poor scalp exfoliation & peeling, no daily washing one's hair...)
2) weak carriers in your solution, maybe more powerful carriers are needed
3) sulfotransferase enzyme activity test: a response to minoxidil depends on this enzyme's activity (which converts minoxidil into its active form), which varies across patients and some for various reasons have too low levels of this enzyme, therefore, they benefit more from oral minoxidil

 

[DJC]

potential causes:
1) poor penetration (over-active oil glands, clogged hair follicles, poor scalp exfoliation & peeling, no daily washing one's hair...)
2) weak carriers in your solution, maybe more powerful carriers are needed
3) sulfotransferase enzyme activity test: a response to minoxidil depends on this enzyme's activity (which converts minoxidil into its active form), which varies across patients and some for various reasons have too low levels of this enzyme, therefore, they benefit more from oral minoxidil

Though if I was initially shedding (a lot), doesn't that mean it was penetrating, was strong enough and being properly converted?