@Favorable, I have extensive knowledge with hair loss and would go on to say with confidence that it's greater than yours. I am sorry that Minoxidil didn't work out for you. Not everyone is a responder with treatments, I wasn't with Finasteride however, I don't bash it and tell people not to use it simply because of my experience. There could be someone out there that would have responded well to it but never tried it because of something I posted. I see this all the time with the PFS scare mongering.
I think everyone here probably knows or will learn that Minoxidil doesn't stop adrogenic hair loss. It can help slow the process down if you are a "Responder" by keeping the hair in the Anagen Phase longer and shortening the Telogen Phase. If you don't know Favorable, "Anagen Phase" is the growth phase and Telogen is the resting phase. This effect when combined with a 5a Reductase inhibitor can have incredible long lasting results.
Unfortunately only 40% of people respond to Minoxidil and like 5a Reductase inhibitors causes a Telogen Effluvium shortly after beginning treatment. I will admit, I am not familiar with the theory behind why Minoxidil causes this and not even sure everyone experiences it. With 5a Reductase inhibitors the Telogen Effluvium is generally caused by the abrupt change in hormonal levels. Either way these forms of Telogen Effluvium are generally acute and last anywhere from 3 to 6 months which is why it is important to remain on these treatments throughout that duration. You simply will not know it you're a responder if you panic and drop treatment at the first sign of shedding. You might as well stay on it because once you induce a Telogen Effluvium it's not going to go away until it ran its course. Now, if someone was to remain on treatment and their shedding remained aggressive beyond the six month mark that is probably the time to discontinue treatment. Keep in mind, a Telogen Effluvium doesn't occur for months after treatment has started.
Now you are absolutely right in saying DHT thins hair every time it cycles but did you know it also shortens the Anagen Phase and extends the Telogen Phase? A healthy hair on average has a 2 to 6 year Anagen Phase with a 2 to 4 month Telogen Phase. I won't bother with the Catagen Phase because it's unimportant. For someone with patterned baldness those areas of hair may only have a 1 to 2 year Anagen Phase and 5 to 6 months Telogen Phase. So even though starting a treatment such as Minoxidil can cause further damage if it doesn't work, it would be very little unless they continued to use it well past a 6 month Effluvium. If they do respond however, and I'm just throwing numbers out for example, say increases their Anagen Phase to 2 to 3 years and shortens a Telogen Phase to a normal 2 to 4 month cycle. This can in fact help restore coverage for someone for a decent amount of time even without a 5a Reductase inhibitor.
"You hear good stories when it works, and I believe it will work. But those are the ppl that keep using it."
"Ask them if theye are happy when they stopped using it. That's whats important."
Of course you need to keep using it. Why would you stop if it's working? There is no treatment on the market that you can take once and be done with it. That would be called a cure. Hair loss will eventually catch up regardless of the treatment you are on. Let's not discourage people from using something that could other wise help and possibly restore a little confidence, even if it's for a short time. People come here for help and steering them away from proven treatments because it didn't work for you does no good.
I understand the anagen phase and the telogen phase.
Whay you ignore or fail to understand. Everytime you shed, the hair growsnback thinner.
Is it so hard to understand?
You shed alot from minoxidil. Because you keep using it you will see better hairgrowth.
Bit when you stop using it, you will be worse off because of the shedding you had from minoxidil.
How can you explain the hairlines that minoxidil sheds and theye do not grow back? After stopping minoxidil.
Thats hair you would have kept for a couple of years still.
Because I am a believer that minoxidil sheds hair that are still in the anogen phase. Not only the telogen hairs.
If it would only shed the telogen hairs then you would not notice the shedding all that much.
My point is, a medication should be safe to use (wit acceptable side effects like minoxidil claims) but ALSO it should be safe to stop the medication.
I want to point out when you stop minoxidil you will be wurse off. The minoxidil (shedding) will have done alot of damahe and will have accelrated the male pattern baldness.
And that ppl should need to know. Thats whays the product tries to hide and you to it seems.
Like you said if you keep shedding for 6 months you need to stop. Or if you have side effects you need to stop. But then what? Minoxidil has done it's damage.
And alot of ppl are in a depression because of it.
Poeple need to be warned.
Do yoi realize doctors claim that minoxidil only shed the hairs that are in telogen phase. Do you think thats true advice?
Do you find that fair, doctors telling lies (probably lack of knowledge).
Poeple need to be warned that of you stop, minoxidil will have done alot of damage of you have slowpaced male pattern baldness and it can make you bald a couple of years sooner
Hairlines don't recover, ppl are depressed aftee minoxidil use. Ppl just need to be warned, theres no reason to hide it.
Great it works for you. It probably have worked for me if I kept ising it.
But you need to understand, in the long run it causes alot of damage.
Keep using ot for 10 years. Then i say go for it. But thats a low percentage of ppl that will accomplisch using it twice a day for 10 years. The risks are hihher then the advantages.
Eczema, drie scalp, burninf scalp, heartdamage, higher pulse, acelleration of male pattern baldness, being wurse off when you stop...
And those side effects are not rare at all.
Really? You still think that ppl should not be warned? Really?
Lets say you get the side effects and you need to stop asap. Let's see then you would still wish you haved used it.
Minoxidil makes you hair go from a still in anahen phase to telogen phase. Not only from telogen phase to anagen phase.
The anogen phase with every hairloss medication should be left alone!
Think the way you think. Bit ppl need to be warned! If theye know the side effects and the damage minoxidil does to your hair in the long run. And still theye want to use it, then its fine, theye have been warned.
But ppl that not have been warned about the damage and side effects and then use it. Thats unfair, theye should have been warned before using it.
Doctors should know the complication of medecine before theye prescribe it.
A person like you promoting the product because it worked for youreself. But you have no idea what it does if you stop. Or you claime it doesnt do any damage when yoi stop. Well, that's the wrong ppl that give advice.
Whay you better do is: ppl this product worls, however if you stop using this product it can have accelerated you hairloss and your hair will never be the same. If you manage to het awesome regeow with this product please know if you still stop after this awesom regeowth, you hair will be wurse off!
But if you can live with that. Then this product can be something for you.
You said: im sorry it dindt work for you but it can work for many (or something like that). That's the most used line on the forums from ppl that keep using it but theye have no idea when theye stop whay will happen
Again ppl, minoxidil warning!!! Stay away from it if you are still alittle happy about your hair! Use it if u have extreem balding pattern en want to improve it alittle.
Do not use it if you under 30! Minoxidl will do damage of you stop
Even the chart from investigation states you will still be under baseline if you stop.
If you read carefully you will see the person I am discissing this with, will ignore the most crucial parts of the concersation. She/he doesn't even mention what will happen if you stop. That person says you ever stop if it works, why would you.
Compleetly ignores the fact if you do stop, whay will happen.
Do you want a person that gives you the full story or only half? I want the full story without doubt.
You will see, this person will respond and will keep ignoring de main subject of stopping minoxidil. She/he will try to aboid it. Out of fear if theye stop? Don'y know.
Even my dermatologist that was a director of a hairclinic stated, minoxidil causes male pattern baldness to speed up if you stop. And cerrainly if you have shedded (alot).
Trie to be carefull taking advice from ppl that are still on minoxdil. Ask advice from the ppl that have stopped.
Ps: sorry for my enflisch, typing it really fast on my phone
