finasteride and minoxidil

[Sir Guy of Frizzbourne]

I've heard a lot of people talk about how scared they are to take minoxidil. They say how it's a lifetime commitment and all. People also divide regrowth into finasteride hairs and minoxidil hairs, so if you quit one, then you lose all the hairs grown by that drug. I really don't understand why this would be the case. Sure, the directions say if you quit Rogaine, you'll lose all the hairs kept alive by that drug, but I would think that statement is under the assumption that you're not on finasteride. Wouldn't both drugs affect all DHT sensitive follicles. Most people on this site are willing to take finasteride, but refuse to make this "commitment" to minoxidil. The point I'm getting at is it would seem if you're gonna stick with finasteride the whole time, you could probably use minoxidil to get some regrowth and then maintain some of it with finasteride alone if you ever got sick of minoxidil. Does anyone else think this would work? I'm already on minoxidil and don't intend to come off, I just think a lot of people may be missing out. Even if you do take it your whole life, it's no more a commitment than brushing your teeth.

 

[Bryan]

I've heard a lot of people talk about how scared they are to take minoxidil. They say how it's a lifetime commitment and all.

EVERY current treatment is a lifetime commitment, with the exception of castration! :wink: Why single-out minoxidil in that regard?

People also divide regrowth into finasteride hairs and minoxidil hairs, so if you quit one, then you lose all the hairs grown by that drug. I really don't understand why this would be the case. Sure, the directions say if you quit Rogaine, you'll lose all the hairs kept alive by that drug, but I would think that statement is under the assumption that you're not on finasteride. Wouldn't both drugs affect all DHT sensitive follicles.

In theory, yes, but actual experience in the Real World has demonstrated that finasteride alone isn't always able to maintain hairs regrown by minoxidil. There's even a case study on that in a medical journal article. I have a scan of it available, if you'd like to read it.

Most people on this site are willing to take finasteride, but refuse to make this "commitment" to minoxidil.

Probably because it requires a lot more effort and dedication to keep applying that messy stuff to your scalp every day.

The point I'm getting at is it would seem if you're gonna stick with finasteride the whole time, you could probably use minoxidil to get some regrowth and then maintain some of it with finasteride alone if you ever got sick of minoxidil. Does anyone else think this would work?

The key word there was maintain SOME of it! I suppose it's possible that _some_ of it might stick around with finasteride alone, but don't bet the farm on it.

I'm already on minoxidil and don't intend to come off, I just think a lot of people may be missing out. Even if you do take it your whole life, it's no more a commitment than brushing your teeth.

I want to add one additional point here, which you don't appear to really address: as far as I know, there's nothing wrong with starting and stopping minoxidil. In other words, you could probably use it during a period of your life when you really needed or wanted a little extra hair, then discontinue it some time later when you decide you don't need the extra hair anymore, then start it up again later still when you change your mind once again, etc. etc.

 

[dresden]

as far as i know, if you are in both finasteride and minoxidil and decide to drop minoxidil, you would in a few months get back to the same situation you would be in if you had all the time been in finasteride only.

i remember seeing a graph showing average hair count over time with 3 curves: both finasteride and minoxidil (highest), only finasteride and only minoxidil (lowest). the curve regarding both finasteride and minoxidil would join the one regarding finasteride in a few months after quitting minoxidil.

By the way, the hair count for someone using finasteride and minoxidil was maximum after 2 years, and it was still higher than baseline ( day 0) after 5 years.