Is Minoxidil Making Me Bald Faster That Normal?

[recedingornot87]

So about 5 months ago I started using minoxidil on the hairline because my hairline was thinning. At this time there was no noticeable thinning anywhere except the hairline. For 5 months my hairline got slightly worse but overall the change was not too drastic so I think it potentially stopped me from receding even faster. The thing is, when I originally started minoxidil everywhere else except my hairline was still thick. Now, I am losing so much hair everywhere. In the showers im easily losing over 200-300 hairs. I know with minoxidil sheds are common but for the first 5 months of use I had no shedding( only lost about 20 hairs in shower at max).

Is it common to start ur first shed after almost half a year of loss or is this most likely just me following my genetic path of balding? I am very hesitant to start finasteride and don't want to jump into it until I think my body is done developing (I am 21 and still have no body hair) so I was hoping that minoxidil can work for a few years but its making my hair even worse. For the first time in my life I can actually see my scalp in under good lighting and its freaking me out as one year ago I legitimately had no hairloss at all.

I am definitely going to go bald within the next few years (dad was NW6 at 22)

 

[Retinoid]

Do you have before and current pics?

 

[itsjustsimon]

Look, minoxidil does nothing to your balding. I think you just go through a bad shedding period, but you need to start some form of antiandrogen and the reason why I’m trying to say this regardless of all the controversy around it is, when hair is dead you can’t do anything to bring it back. Like really f*****g nothing. And with this body hair excuse... look, I never had any body hair and people made fun of me back in high school but dude every chich I’ve been with loves/loved it. Besides who f*****g cares. You can grow beard with minoxidil if you want to. Just do something about your hairloss because right now you’re doing nothing at all.

And just for the reference I started fina when I was 20 and I’m fine. If someone would tell me that I’m balding at 18 I’m sure I would start with it even back then.

 

[hopeforhappiness]

I never had any body hair and people made fun of me back in high school but dude every chich I’ve been with loves/loved it.

Same here !!


But if one has very agressive balding do you think minoxidil could speed it up? Obviously better blood supply would carry more nutrients and growth factors to the hair but wouldn’t that also (assuming one is not on a dht blocker) bring more dht as well ? Are there really accounts of minoxidil making things worse (aside from those that had an allergic reaction) or are those all just people who started and then quit after the shed ?

 

[itsjustsimon]

Same here !!


But if one has very agressive balding do you think minoxidil could speed it up? Obviously better blood supply would carry more nutrients and growth factors to the hair but wouldn’t that also (assuming one is not on a dht blocker) bring more dht as well ? Are there really accounts of minoxidil making things worse (aside from those that had an allergic reaction) or are those all just people who started and then quit after the shed ?

No, I don’t think it could speed it up but that’s interesting thought . That would probably be the case if we would have unlimited amount of androgen receptor in our follicles but we know that’s not the case.

Minoxidil is just icing on the cake when you stabilise (maintain) and want some thickness back if ofcourse minoxidil works for you in the first place.

 

[Derelict]

Minoxidil made my hair worse and i was getting sides, it should not be used imo until you have been on finasteride for atleast a year. Then you can reassess your hair and decide whether or not to add minoxidil to the mix, too many people on these boards instantly recommend it when it may not be needed and you are just setting yourself up for dependence. It's a hassle to use and comes with side effects which imo are more common than those of finasteride. All in all i don't like it one bit. But because i used it for 3/4 months im pretty much screwed now and will need a hair transplant. To the OP, you should go on finasteride, the risk of sides is minimal and at 21 you are over the recommended age of 18.

 

[itsjustsimon]

Minoxidil made my hair worse, it should not be used imo until you have been on finasteride for atleast a year. Then you can reassess your hair and decide whether or not to add minoxidil to the mix, too many people on these boards instantly recommend it when it may not be needed and you are just setting yourself up for dependence. It's a hassle to use and comes with side effects which imo are more common than those of finasteride. All in all i don't like it one bit. But because i used it for 3/4 months im pretty much screwed now and will need a hair transplant. To the OP, you should go on finasteride, the risk of sides is minimal and at 21 you are over the recommended age of 18.

How long have you been on minoxidil?

 

[Derelict]

How long have you been on minoxidil?

I was only on it for 3/4 months, stopped because i was getting sides like puffy face and my crown was thinning on it. Now im fucked for life because of the damned stuff, i started finasteride around the same time, if i had just stuck to finasteride itself for a year i might have seen some decent regrowth, now because of minoxidil i never will and will have to get a hair transplant. Too many people on these boards recommending it to newbies new to tackling hair loss imo. it should only be considered after you have been on finasteride alone for a year or so, never starting them together like i stupidly did.

 

[itsjustsimon]

I was only on it for 3/4 months, stopped because i was getting sides like puffy face and my crown was thinning on it. Now im fucked for life because of the damned stuff, i started finasteride around the same time, if i had just stuck to finasteride itself for a year i might have seen some decent regrowth, now because of minoxidil i never will and will have to get a hair transplant.

That’s three to four months? Dude you’re the last one who can talk about monixidil effectiveness. You would probably had a good regrowth on it but because you just can’t stand the shedding, you’re now doing every mental gymnastic trick to convince yourself that you did the right thing. How long have you been on finasteride?

 

[Derelict]

That’s three to four months? Dude you’re the last one who can talk about monixidil effectiveness. You would probably had a good regrowth on it but because you just can’t stand the shedding, you’re now doing every mental gymnastic trick to convince yourself that you did the right thing. How long have you been on finasteride?

I stopped mostly because of sides like puffy face, and the fact my crown areas was much much thinner. Finasteride on the other hand i got no sides from. I started both finasteride and minoxidil in Februrary, stopped minoxidil just over a month ago. I don't think im doing mental gymnastics, i just think minoxidil is too easily recommended on this board when i think a year on finasteride to see how well you respond to it should be the first line of attack rather than starting both at the same time. Im not the only one who thinks their hair got worse on minoxidil, plus i personally think sides from minoxidil are more common than sides from finasteride. But the damage is done now, i should have read up more on minoxidil before starting, if i had i never would have started it until giving finasteride at least a year, it's my own fault ultimately.

 

[itsjustsimon]

I stopped mostly because of sides like puffy face, and the fact my crown areas was much much thinner. Finasteride on the other hand i got no sides from. I started both finasteride and minoxidil in Februrary, stopped minoxidil just over a month ago. I don't think im doing mental gymnastics, i just think minoxidil is too easily recommended on this board when i think a year on finasteride to see how well you respond to it should be the first line of attack rather than starting both at the same time.

Yeah it’s thinner because you’re going through shedding. And it’s even worse because you started both treatments at the same time.

I’m pretty much sure the majority of people here know where minoxidil belongs amongst the treatments, but if you are listening to those NW0.5 brotzu gang 20year olds who are afraid of finasteride that’s your problem.

 

[hopeforhappiness]

I stopped mostly because of sides like puffy face, and the fact my crown areas was much much thinner. Finasteride on the other hand i got no sides from. I started both finasteride and minoxidil in Februrary, stopped minoxidil just over a month ago. I don't think im doing mental gymnastics, i just think minoxidil is too easily recommended on this board when i think a year on finasteride to see how well you respond to it should be the first line of attack rather than starting both at the same time. Im not the only one who thinks their hair got worse on minoxidil. But the damage is done now though, i should have read up more on minoxidil before starting, it's my own fault.

Lots of people with ed would say fina is ‘too easily’ recommended on this board but you wouldn’t would you ? We all recommend these treatments because if you start them soon enough it’s your best chance at keeping hair. That doesn’t mean it will always end well or that everyone getting sides should get on the board and steer others away from treatment. The number of people who experience benefits or keep at the same rate of loss will always outweigh the number of those who experience balding that is worse after starting minoxidil or fina. This is why we continue to urge anyone seeking advice to look into them. There is more than enough documentation of possible sides and outcomes for everyone to make their own decision.

 

[Derelict]

Lots of people with ed would say fina is ‘too easily’ recommended on this board but you wouldn’t would you ? We all recommend these treatments because if you start them soon enough it’s your best chance at keeping hair. That doesn’t mean it will always end well or that everyone getting sides should get on the board and steer others away from treatment. The number of people who experience benefits or keep at the same rate of loss will always outweigh the number of those who experience balding that is worse after starting minoxidil or fina. This is why we continue to urge anyone seeking advice to look into them. There is more than enough documentation of possible sides and outcomes for everyone to make their own decision.

Im not trying to steer people away from minoxidil, i have seen plenty of threads where it has helped people. I just don't think it should be used until someone tackling hairloss has tried finasteride by itself for a year, like i wish i had done. Now i have to deal with the consequences of starting both at the same time, starting both was recommened to me and no one told me about how minoxidil would ultimately hinder finasterides effectiveness if i got sides from minoxidil and had to stop, im just a bit annoyed that i started minoxidil without a second thought and now will never see the full benefits of finasteride because of it. Hairloss is a horrible thing I have sorta hijacked the OP's thread. Sorry OP. All that's left for me to do is continue finasteride until feb next year and get a transplant, when that may not have been necessary if i had just used finasteride and skipped the minoxidil.

 

[hopeforhappiness]

Im not trying to steer people away from minoxidil, i have seen plenty of threads where it has helped people. I just don't think it should be used until someone tackling hairloss has tried finasteride by itself for a year, like i wish i had done. Now i have to deal with the consequences of starting both at the same time, which means a hair transplant, im just a bit annoyed that i started minoxidil without a second thought and now will never see the full benefits of finasteride because of it. Hairloss is a horrible thing I have sorta hijacked the OP's thread. Sorry OP.

Not to keep it going or suggest that you don’t know what’s best for you but I am honestly amazed that you would rather shell out for a transplant than just get back on minoxidil. Especially when it comes to the crown, which is generally much easier to grow than the temples or hairline. There are things you can do to manage a puffy face.

 

[itsjustsimon]

Minoxidil does not effect finasteride effectiveness, I’m not sure what you’re trying to say and why so much panic.

 

[Derelict]

Minoxidil does not effect finasteride effectiveness, I’m not sure what you’re trying to say and why so much panic.

All i meant was that the hairs that have become minoxidil dependent may have grown back if i had just used finasteride itself but never will now. Sorry if i sound like im panicking lol Im just a bit upset about my hair situation right now.

 

[itsjustsimon]

All i meant was that the hairs that have become minoxidil dependent may have grown back just through use of finasteride but never will now. Sorry if i sound like im panicking lol

No, that’s just not true. It’s not binary lol

 

[Derelict]

No, that’s just not true. It’s not binary lol

What do you mean? I thought once a hair became minoxidil dependent it needed minoxidil to stay alive. Whereas if i was just using finasteride that hair might have grown by itself and not needed the minoxidil?

 

[itsjustsimon]

What do you mean? I thought once a hair became minoxidil dependent it needed minoxidil to stay alive. Whereas if i was just using finasteride that hair might have grown by itself and not needed the minoxidil?

No. Minoxidil gives your hair more oxygen and nutrients. It actually boost your already weakened hair. That’s all. Minoxidil does not interfere with your DHT (the hormone you ‘block’ with finasteride) which is the main cause of alopecia. So it’s not like minoxidil says to finasteride: “dude, these hair are now mine and mine forever, if I go, everybody goes and you can’t stop me buahaha”. It’s not like that lol. It’s just that when you stop minoxidil your weakened hair will just go back to where they were without that oxygen and nutrients boost minoxidil provided.

 

[recedingornot87]

Yeah it’s thinner because you’re going through shedding. And it’s even worse because you started both treatments at the same time.

I’m pretty much sure the majority of people here know where minoxidil belongs amongst the treatments, but if you are listening to those NW0.5 brotzu gang 20year olds who are afraid of finasteride that’s your problem.

can u shed from minoxidil even on parts where u didnt apply the minoxidil?

I only apply it on my hairline but after 5 months my entire hair is thinner even though minoxidil never touches anywhere else. Also i do plan on getting on finasteride but im okay with receding slowly for years and then going bald in my late 30s or early 40s and \i was hoping \i could do that with only rogaine. If this recent loss of hair is due to my balding on is not caused by rogaine shed then I have no choice but to go on finasteride anyways as im not tryna be full bald in my 20s.