I gotta disagree with you Bryan when you say minoxidil "doesnt appear to interfere with the fundamentla balding process." According to a recent study on the workings of minoxidil, originally posted by Michael Barry, minoxidil does a lot more than just regrow "a little more hair." Heres Michaels post on why...
Bryan,
The authors wrote: ".......but the most plausible explanation proposed here is that minoxidil works as a sulfonylurea receptor (SUR) activator and prolongs the anagen phase of hair follicles in the following manner: minoxidil (1) induces cell growth factors such as VEGF, HGF, IGF-1 and potentiates HGF and IGF-1 actions by the activation of uncoupled SUR on the plasma membrane of dermal papilla cells, (2) inhibits of TGF beta induced apoptosis of hair matrix cells by opening the Kir 6.0 channel pore coupled with SUR on the mitochondrial inner membrane, and (3) dilates hair follicle arteries and increases blood flow in dermal papilla by opening the Kir 6.0 channel pore coupled with SUR on the plasma membrane of vascular smooth muscle cells "
It appears that minoxidil: counteracts TGF-beta to some extent, and this probably leads to less collagen getting deposited around the follicle which makes it hard for microcapillaries to reach it.
It also appears minoxidil opens potassium channels which help cellular communication in follicle cells.
It also appears that minoxidil dialates hair follicles arteries and increases papilla blood flow.
It also appears in other literature that minoxidil fights the hardening and crosslinking of collagen fibers in the connective tissue sheath and root sheath like aminexil also supposedly does
It also appears that minoxidil induces cell growth factors such as VEGF, HGF, IGF-1 and potentiates HGF and IGF-1 actions by the activation of uncoupled SUR on the plasma membrane of dermal papilla cells.......
Thats a hell of an effect on hair isnt it? Keratinocyte growth factor might be "just a stimulant", but minoxidil appears to do so much thats good for affected head hair in AA, its hard to just say its a plain ol' hypertrichotic isn't it? It may not fight baldness on as many fronts as prox-n, but for the price its a hell of a tool for young guys looking to hold onto what they have in my opinion.
By the way...........I looked around a tad and couldn't find anything that supposedly counteracts FGF-5 and thrombo-whatever, which are listed as negative growth factors released by papilla cells to other hair cells.
Bryan, Im of the opinion that when we find exactly what the papilla releases to the rest of the follicle we will be in the business of attempting to counteract baldness at that level. Men without baldness have androgen receptors and DHT, but their papillas must do something different. Counteracting THAT, with no need to alter hormones in anyway, would be the most elegant solution to baldness "someday" in my opinion.