we need
@jamesbooker1975's opinion regarding these studies
That results are good depending to what you are comparing. They are testing a 40 years old drug, first available as oral, not longer available in most countries to treat hipertension cause side effects. So what is the sense ? They are not comparing to anything. At least they should compare it to topical minoxidil. For example, use topical minoxidil, and once you prove it it didn't work to subject A , you did to that subject ORAL and by that way, they could show the prove that oral is superior than topical. But, even so, it is useless cause :
1) They don't check the chronic side effects
2) You can get the same thing ( more minoxidil sulphate ) by adding tretinoin . And you don't go systemic for something that you want local results.
And, at the end, it said it all " oral minoxidil should be used carefully with men who have severe hypertension and increased risk for cardiovascular events.:
How do we actually know who really have "increased risk for cardiovascular events" !? Really, it is something to old, already tested. Now tested in the same way that was 40 years ago , etc.
And again, if they want to prove something, that is not the way to do it. Cause, actually, they are telling us what we already knew it since early 80s ( actually lates 70s ) when there was tested for hypertension and saw hair growth and regrowth as a side effect .
If you are a good responder to minoxidil, using orally will be useless.
IF you are getting results from minoxidil topical, it don't mean that if you use it orally you will get better results ( most probably , don't ) .
This was even try it , I personally tried it , back in 2000, check for old hairsite.com post , it was used, reported, and abandoned for most of us .
And if it didn't work , just add tretinoin. Will be easier to get , and without the risky side effects of oral . Even at that low dose the study is telling that 10 % get edema by oral . Again, it don't worth the risk, you don''t want to mess with your heart .
If I learn something from 1996 till now ( 25 years of this damn Androgenetic Alopecia, and "except for this China homemade compounds never tested in humans " I have tried it almost everything, from oral spironolactone oral minoxidil combo to topical cetirizine , latanoprost, etc. You name it , most probably I have tried it ) is that you don't want to go systemic .Believe me, you don't want to f*** your health.
