Growth Stimulants that do not cause severe shedding?
- Thread starter Fundi
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TEDDYRUXPIN
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I don't understand this but minoxidil should not actually cause shedding!
Some people say they have it but majority of people don't. I have used minoxidil and do not see this. Hair will naturally fall out and be replaced. What does happen for people who grow new hair from minoxidil - sometime in the future these hair will grow through a natural hair cycle and fall out, then grow again. This phase is noticeable and hence, noted as shedding.
Any old hair will usually be strengthened by minoxidil.
Just note, minoxidil is great for growing new hair - growth stimulant. But it tends to be rubbish at maintaining old hair.
No harm in trying the stuff. Just remember some people eventually get an allergic reaction to the alcohol in the liquid and gel version of minoxidil!
Some people say they have it but majority of people don't. I have used minoxidil and do not see this. Hair will naturally fall out and be replaced. What does happen for people who grow new hair from minoxidil - sometime in the future these hair will grow through a natural hair cycle and fall out, then grow again. This phase is noticeable and hence, noted as shedding.
Any old hair will usually be strengthened by minoxidil.
Just note, minoxidil is great for growing new hair - growth stimulant. But it tends to be rubbish at maintaining old hair.
No harm in trying the stuff. Just remember some people eventually get an allergic reaction to the alcohol in the liquid and gel version of minoxidil!
Thanks for the replies.
My concern is I have ALOT of thin hairs. But can style them so it's almost not n noitceable..but if these were to shed, even if it was temporay...I'd be left with two huge bald chunks on either side of my head.
Which would make several months pretty tough.
My concern is I have ALOT of thin hairs. But can style them so it's almost not n noitceable..but if these were to shed, even if it was temporay...I'd be left with two huge bald chunks on either side of my head.
Which would make several months pretty tough.
beaner
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TEDDYRUXPIN said:
Why on earth would you tell anyone this when it indicates right on the box that it may cause shedding?
Minoxidil can and does cause shedding in users, it is part of how it works. It forces hair to enter the telogen phase and shed earlier than it normally would have. Many people do not notice this, but that doesn't mean it doesn't.
Well, I've bit the bullet and ordered minoxidil.
Despite my hairloss not being what I would describe as 'aggressive'....spironolactone, finasteride and nizoral hasn't halted it despite reducing shedding.
My plan is to use minoxidil once a day, (due to my working hours) apply spironolactone at 8:30pm and minoxidil around 11:30pm and leave it on the night. Will this be ok?
Despite my hairloss not being what I would describe as 'aggressive'....spironolactone, finasteride and nizoral hasn't halted it despite reducing shedding.
My plan is to use minoxidil once a day, (due to my working hours) apply spironolactone at 8:30pm and minoxidil around 11:30pm and leave it on the night. Will this be ok?
Any treatment that brings follicles out of dormancy early can cause early shedding of loss phase hair. This means any treatment that works, There are no exceptions that I have seen. The hair that sheds is "telogen hair". It was about to fall out in the next few weeks anyway.
The good part is that a wave of shedding indicates treatment is working. Further, an early wave of shedding is generally associated with a clinical response. Makes sense-- as new hair starts to grow, it may cause old hair to fall out.
Peter H. Proctor, PhD,MD
The good part is that a wave of shedding indicates treatment is working. Further, an early wave of shedding is generally associated with a clinical response. Makes sense-- as new hair starts to grow, it may cause old hair to fall out.
Peter H. Proctor, PhD,MD
My two cents.
When I first started Rogaine FOAM I shed ridiculous amounts of hair for 1-2 months. I mean it looked like someone plucked out 2 of every 3 hairs on my head. I looked BAD.
I sucked it up, stuck it out, and low and behold, months 5 and 6 rolled around and I got TONS of comments about how good my hair looked.
Minoxidil (especially the foam) can cause wicked sheds in some people, but as most here said, it's usually a good sign. You just have to have the balls to ride the shed out.
When I first started Rogaine FOAM I shed ridiculous amounts of hair for 1-2 months. I mean it looked like someone plucked out 2 of every 3 hairs on my head. I looked BAD.
I sucked it up, stuck it out, and low and behold, months 5 and 6 rolled around and I got TONS of comments about how good my hair looked.
Minoxidil (especially the foam) can cause wicked sheds in some people, but as most here said, it's usually a good sign. You just have to have the balls to ride the shed out.
If you are concerned about the shedding, you might slowly taper up the product over several months, so that it didn't have such a sudden effect. In the end, the results should be just as good with the benefit that you would distribute the shedding over a longer period of time, so that it won't be noticeable.
Fundi said:
If you tapered up slowly over many months, the shedding would most likely proceed in tiny increments and, most importantly, it would not be cumulative, since the hair shed in previous months would already be replaced by new anagen phase hairs. To put it simply: If you quickstart a treatment you shed lots of telogen phase hair that could make your scalp look more bald until the new anagen hair begins to grow, whereas if you taper up (given that you start using not enough product to produce dramatic changes) you will start shedding just a few telogen hairs, and you will go on shedding as you continue to increase the amount of product you use over the next months, but the first shed hairs will already be in anagen by then.
Cool, I'll probably give that a go.
Is it possible the hairs will still shed, but due to the limited amount of minoxidil used, they just won't grow back as quickly?
Oh, also is 3 1/2 hours enough of a gap between minoxidil and spironolactone (Rinsing head in between)?
Is it possible the hairs will still shed, but due to the limited amount of minoxidil used, they just won't grow back as quickly?
Oh, also is 3 1/2 hours enough of a gap between minoxidil and spironolactone (Rinsing head in between)?
Fundi said:
I couldn't say for sure. I tried to guess what might happen but couldn't say for sure what will happen. As far as I can tell my argument seems sound, but sometimes in the human body two plus two aren't four.
I believe that it's enough time, especially if you apply the minoxidil first. If you applied the spironolactone in cream first, that might have a different outcome, because spironolactone cream seems to have quite slow transdermal absortion. But you can avoid that problem if you use the spironolactone in the second place (once you have washed your hair), so that it can stay on your head more hours.
Thanks.
Dr Lee said as long as the minoxidil went first, the spironolactone can go on 10 minutes later which surprised me and bit but I trust his judgment.
I guess if I shed severely I'll just have to change the way that I style me hair.
Dr Lee told me that by doing a 'pull test' I can see the hairs in the 'telogen phase' and these are the hairs which will fall out. I usually get none...sometimes 1 or 2 which is normal. Maybe I misunderstood shedding, apparently it's only these, almost invisible dead hairs which shed.
Dr Lee said as long as the minoxidil went first, the spironolactone can go on 10 minutes later which surprised me and bit but I trust his judgment.
I guess if I shed severely I'll just have to change the way that I style me hair.
Dr Lee told me that by doing a 'pull test' I can see the hairs in the 'telogen phase' and these are the hairs which will fall out. I usually get none...sometimes 1 or 2 which is normal. Maybe I misunderstood shedding, apparently it's only these, almost invisible dead hairs which shed.