Do Non-responders Shed From Minoxidl?

[Diaboli]

Hi all. I started using minoxidil bout three weeks ago, and over the last few days I've experienced a massive surge in shedding. I have longer hair, maybe 6 inches long, and most of the hair that is being shed is between 1 and 2 inches long. I understand that this means that the treatment is working, but do non-responders also shed when they use minoxidil? It's too early for me to see any regrowth, but given the dramatic rise in shedding I'm hopping that I am a responder. Unfortunately though, this also gives rise to the question if I'm losing hair that I won't get back. If anyone can answer my question id greatly appreciate it. Thank you

 

[AnxiousAndy]

Minoxidil hair almost always grows back. Both responders and non responders shed I believe, the only difference between them is the responders grow their hair back thicker.

 

[Diaboli]

Okay, thank you. I was hoping that the shed meant that it was working. I guess only time will tell

 

[AnxiousAndy]

Okay, thank you. I was hoping that the shed meant that it was working. I guess only time will tell

Technically it's right in saying shedding means it's working because your body is responding to the drug but it doesn't guarantee you will regrow hair. I hope you at least maintain what you got, that's all we can really hope for
Unless you get nuclear with treatments lol

 

[Diaboli]

I'd be happy with thickening up what I do have or just maintaining. It's such a hard process to judge though, isn't it? You end up paying so much attention to your hair that you imagine changes, when really it looks exactly the same as yesterday. That is until the regrowth kicks in (hopefully!)

 

[AnxiousAndy]

I hear you buddy, I check my hair dozens of times every single day expecting to see something new even though I checked 20 minutes ago. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results, I'm already there I'm going insane with this hair loss bullshit!

 

[Diaboli]

Tell me about it. Are you taking minoxidil or finasteride or anything? My hairline has receeded a little, but I don't think it has moved for 4 or so years. When I first noticed it I had brief bouts of freaking out, but I'd end up forgetting about it for ages. About a month ago another bout came to pass and I ended up grabbing a mirror and looking at my crown, and it looks kind of thin but I'm not sure. In the bright light my hair looks fucked regardless, but everyone's does, so it really is hard to tell. I'm 28 and I've never looked at my crown so I have no idea if it has always been like that. Plus I have a stupid cowlick right where it looks thinner so that complicates things because the hair goes in every direction. I'm hoping to get to a derm soon so I can get an answer and get on finasteride if need be.

In this photo my hair looks fine, but in different light it looks fucked, so I'm starting to think flash photography isn't an accurate way of telling if you are losing hair. I'm not naked by the way

 

[Diaboli]

And then in this one it looks a little bad, but the bad part is right on the cowlick, so I don't know. These two photos aren't bad, but as soon as I use a flash with the lights lowered it looks really bad

 

[AnxiousAndy]

Crown looks fine. I am on oral minoxidil, I was previously on finasteride for a year but it didn't work. Now I'm going to start topical estrogen and am restarting finasteride in the next month or so.

 

[AnxiousAndy]

Second pic looks a bit suspicious, I would get on finasteride.

 

[Diaboli]

That's the plan. I'd buy it online but I'm not sure about customs. Apparently Australian customs are pretty full on. So my only other option is to see a dermatologist and ask about proscar

Oh okay. Is oral minoxidil more effective than topical?

 

[AnxiousAndy]

That's the plan. I'd buy it online but I'm not sure about customs. Apparently Australian customs are pretty full on. So my only other option is to see a dermatologist and ask about proscar

Oh okay. Is oral minoxidil more effective than topical?

Yeah I've heard Australian customs are some of the strictest in the world. Dermatologist should be the way to go in your case.

 

[Diaboli]

Yeah I've heard Australian customs are some of the strictest in the world. Dermatologist should be the way to go in your case.

Hey buddy, I was just looking really close at my hair line and on my left temple (my worst one) there is heaps of these little black dots with tiny dark hair popping out. It looks like it's happening throughout my whole hair line. My right temple isn't that bad as it is, but there is a bunch of white hairs popping out there too, although I wouldn't expect much from there because it really isn't bad. When I say tiny I mean tiny, but something is happening. I won't get too excited yet but we shall see

 

[AnxiousAndy]

Hey buddy, I was just looking really close at my hair line and on my left temple (my worst one) there is heaps of these little black dots with tiny dark hair popping out. It looks like it's happening throughout my whole hair line. My right temple isn't that bad as it is, but there is a bunch of white hairs popping out there too, although I wouldn't expect much from there because it really isn't bad. When I say tiny I mean tiny, but something is happening. I won't get too excited yet but we shall see

The tiny hairs are likely just ones that have fallen out during the telogen phase and are regrowing. I was on finasteride for a year but it didn't work so I dropped it. I am on oral minoxidil and had promising initial success until I changed brands and dropped finasteride (at around about the same time) then my regrowth fell out. I'm not sure if it was the brand switching or dropping finasteride but I'm going to restart finasteride along with topical estrogen.
You should notice initial results at about 2 and a half to 3 months.