Can minoxidil make things worse?

[JWM]

I tried searching but can't find something I read on here awhile ago about minoxidil possibly making hair loss worse in the absence of insulin? Does that ring a bell to anyone? Has anyone here found there situation worsened after extended use of minoxidil (initial shedding excluded)?

 

[foeplay]

I've been using it for almost 2 months now, and my hair seems to get worse where I apply it, added finasteride and nixoral after a month of minoxidil, I am hoping I get regrowth on the top of my head where its running very low now. I have grown black vellus hairs on my hairline and temples, wish I could get some of those on the top to take away some of the white scalp from showing through.

 

[mon]

I wish I had never used it on the bit just above the ears (lower temporal area). I have gotten a shed there. I am hoping it will grow back. I applied it there hoping it will make the hair even thicker but instead it seems to have gradually receded slightly. I should have just used nizarol for this area for maintenance.

 

[biff]

They say that minoxidil can cause an initial shed which means that it's working as the follicles are widening and the hairs will come through thicker on the next growth cycle. However, this doesn't seem to be the case. At least not for me. I've been using Rogaine for two years and over that time my hair has continued to get worse. I recently started Propecia and decided to give Rogaine a break. My hair and scalp felt much better while not using Rogaine. There was practically no itchy scalp all the while I was off it (around two to three weeks) and I didn't notice many hairs fall out during that time either. A few days ago I decided to get back on Rogaine. My scalp now feels like sh*t again and I've noticed more hairs falling out. I only washed my hair yesterday and usually don't get many hairs fall out for a day or two after washing, but this morning around 10 hairs fell out while combing. This was after applying minoxidil last night. I think I might stay off Rogaine a bit longer that two to three weeks and see what happens.

 

[hairfin]

damn i was thinking of starting minoxidil 5%, but these stories of worsening hair loss are making me reconsider

 

[biff]

damn i was thinking of starting minoxidil 5%, but these stories of worsening hair loss are making me reconsider

It would be good to hear from a few other people who have been on minoxidil for a long time to get their feedback. I don't know what my hair would be like now if I didn't use it. It might have slowed the progression of my hairloss but there is no way of knowing without going back in time and not using it. All I know is my hair is worse now than when I started, not to a major degree, but it is definitely worse.

 

[hairfin]

if your a diffuse thinner, with it much worse on the front sides, do you apply it everywhere or just where its worst

 

[JWM]

Some folks are great responders to minoxidil, so don't let my post or others scare you off from at least trying it. After all, it IS one of the only proven treatments among zillions out there.

My concern for myself is that my hair just continues to deteriorate in ONLY the places I apply the stuff, and this has slowly happened over the years. Perhaps I'm just not a good responder and minoxidil was slowing things down BUT....

...I tried an experiment not long ago. I started applying minoxidil to my crown. MY crown has always been perfect with NO thinning whatsoever. I have frontal diffuse thinning to where I apply my minoxidil. Anyway, after applying minoxidil to my perfect crown for 3 months, it too became more diffuse. I immediately stopped and it returned to normal. I tried this experiment of mine 2 other times and results were same.

My findings prompted my original question of whether or not minoxidil can make a condition worse in SOME people.

 

[Solo]

I´ve been applying minoxidil in my hair for two years. I´m a diffuse thinner. It never did any regrowth, but I still keep on using it becouse I thought it could help for manteinance-I´ll be worst if I don´t use it.

Also everyone and every study says that minoxidil is benefitial for hair, extending anagen phase and all that stuff.

But lately I´m questioning myself over and over if minoxidil really works for me.

When I started I only used it in the crown, where my hair was more diffuse. But then I started using it in the top-frontal part (becouse of a thin patch in the middle) and it only got worse since I started.

Coincidence??

8 months ago I started finasteride and 4 months ago nizoral and 3 weeks ago MSM. Hair is doing good, seems to be thickening, but I don´t know if I´m having any benefit for the use of minoxidil. This summer I´ve been a couple of weeks off and I think my hair and my scalp where better after that.

Now I have reduced the dose to 1ml daily.

I´m still waiting for any based opinion in this matter, regarding a possible bad effect for minoxidil in some cases to completely stop minoxidil.

Also I´m afraid that it can lead to a worsening of hair, who knows??


I have to mention that the areas that have gotten thinner over the time are the ones I apply more minoxidil--> crown and middle part.

Again, coincidence??

I´m also very confused, as you see, about the minoxidil effects on my hair.

Not to mention the inconvenience of applying it every f*****g day.

 

[Thinning]

if your a diffuse thinner, with it much worse on the front sides, do you apply it everywhere or just where its worst

Everywhere you are losing hair, or want to regrow hair.

 

[global]

I am convinced that for some people who experience significant irritation/inflammation from minxo that these factors can outweigh any beneficial effects the minoxidil may be having and actually cause the hair to thin inexorably.

In my case minoxidil always made my hair much thinner and I attribute it to the severe irritation it caused me.

The longer I battle hairloss the more convinced i become that scalp health is the key, and anything which harms scalp health should be avoided.

 

[Dinzy]

I am convinced that for some people who experience significant irritation/inflammation from minxo that these factors can outweigh any beneficial effects the minoxidil may be having and actually cause the hair to thin inexorably.

In my case minoxidil always made my hair much thinner and I attribute it to the severe irritation it caused me.

The longer I battle hairloss the more convinced i become that scalp health is the key, and anything which harms scalp health should be avoided.

I am starting to lean this way myself. I have only been on minoxidil for 4 months, but lately my scalp started to feel awful. It was very painful and tight feeling. The hairs that I loose when doing gentle tugs feel like they are falling out of dead skin. Lately I have been using the American Crew CuPeptide stuff first and then applying minoxidil immediately after. Atleast now my scalp doesn't hurt. If it starts to hurt again. I will drop the minoxidil. Right now it is too early for me to evaluate anything so I am hesitant to change anything too much.

 

[iamnaked]

I'm loving my minoxidil, but I can see why it gets a bad rep from some. It's really easy to quit because no two ways about it, the early days are crap. My hair looked RUBBISH in the 3rd month I was applying, but I just sort of woke up one day and it's been getting better ever since. Don't knock it until you've tried it properly, I say, (and not a huge amount of people have, quite frankly)

 

[Norwood2.5]

I tried searching but can't find something I read on here awhile ago about minoxidil possibly making hair loss worse in the absence of insulin? Does that ring a bell to anyone? Has anyone here found there situation worsened after extended use of minoxidil (initial shedding excluded)?

My guess is if you're allergic to the propylene glycol it can make things worse. It sure got worse where I applied it and remained about stable where I didn't. I am experiencing hair growth when I consume minoxidil orally, unfortunately not yet on the top of my head, but I hope that will come or I'll stop completely.

 

[lmdavies]

I too dont get any shedding or itchy scalp with the generic 5% stuff. However I do also apply topical zinc as well.

 

[JWM]

Bump. Anyone else?

 

[Private Ryan]

i am into week number 5 using minoxidil 5%. this 1-2weeks it seen that i experience increase shedding during shower and while applying the minoxidil. quite a number of hair drop while applying even i only apply after shower. the last time i apply at least 7-10hairs fell out.

most of the hair that fell out look really thin and unhealthy. i pray that this is a good sign. i only rubbed lightly to spread the solution.

seeing all this really make me feel awful. holding on to hope tightly.. :cry:

 

[Guest]

i am into week number 5 using minoxidil 5%. this 1-2weeks it seen that i experience increase shedding during shower and while applying the minoxidil. quite a number of hair drop while applying even i only apply after shower. the last time i apply at least 7-10hairs fell out.

most of the hair that fell out look really thin and unhealthy. i pray that this is a good sign. i only rubbed lightly to spread the solution.

seeing all this really make me feel awful. holding on to hope tightly.. :cry:

Hang on tight buddy... its very normal.. i had them falling out at 3 weeks too thin and flimsy.... although I went OFF minoxidil at 3 weeks after much thought....and it continued to fall a weeks after i went off minoxidil..

 

[rkim]

I had been on minoxidil 2% for about 3-4 years. I do feel it helped. Stunted the fall-out. Re-grew the crown. I switched to 5% for no other reason than it came to my attention that it existed. Thought it would be even better. It's been over a year now and the fall-out had increased ever since. Never stopped and seems worse now. I'm also losing hair on the sides and back now (around the ears, lower temples, lower back of head). I'm thinking about trying to give it a break to see what happens. How long is too long to stop? I'm also experiencing dizziness and low body temperature, weakness, numb scalp. Don't know if any of that is due to minoxidil.

 

[rkim]

Actually, I'm thinking it'll be a good idea to go back to 2%. Wish I did a long time ago. What do you think? I'd like to give it a break before hand. How long do you think? And I just bought a new 3 pack of 5%!