Is Tretinoin and adapalene the same?
- Thread starter StacySixx
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I have interest in this too as my supplier of retin-A is out and otherwise you need a prescription. My understanding is that Adapalene, brand name, Differin, is also a potent retinol but less so than retin-A but purportedly perhaps more potent than retinoids. It seems to be used primarily for acne but I haven't seen any description as to why it wouldn't work at least partially as well as retin-A to reduce sun damage and aging. I have used adapalene also at times but I am out of both currently. Amazon sells Differin OTC and probably most pharmacies have it behind the counter. I haven't had much scalp left to use retin-A on except for the hair line so it's more of a priority for me facially than for hair regrowth currently but I have used it with minoxidil and microneedling for face, scalp and neck and I am pleased with my results in all of these areas and can recommend the three, at least in combo, for hair, and microneedling and retin-A for face.
Thanks, for raising this, Stacy. Hopefully, we will get some further input from my oral minoxidil puffy eyes contingent but again, I had been using much higher amounts of oral minoxidil than many/any....
Goddess bless,
Janey
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No, that's fine. It's a bit confusing because one is in ml and the other is in mg but I started off on 12.5mg equivalent once daily which I then switched to two X 6.25mg doses. I then doubled it for the next seven months or so and since my hair was looking really good and I was getting some sides that were unwanted, I then went back down to 2 X 6.25mg daily which is where I am now. You can do the conversion by dividing the amount in ml by two and then removing the initial decimal point. So .5ml daily is 25 mg daily of Loniten theoretically. Now some might be lost by stomach and liver conversion but that isn't really an issue of efficacy just titration. So if some is lost then perhaps my .5ml daily was really only .4ml daily meaning 20 mg. Most people don't exceed ten mg daily and few exceed five.
My sides were tolerable: mutant morning eyes but not every day but maybe one out of three, weight gain and swelling and increase in peripheral hair so those are, well two that were expected by me and one that people debate about but it is probably also related to the swelling effect on the eye tissues and maybe whether one sleeps on one's back or who knows exactly. I am going to look into having some filler perhaps placed in the below eye area above the cheeks on Wednesday at my clinic. I had all hair removed below the neck last week so Janey has not much sympathy about the peripheral hair issue, not that you asked but I see the same question again and again. It definitely causes increases in peripheral hair and that's unpredictable where but for me, pretty much everywhere except under my arms which I have never had treated in any way. HRT just stopped all hair growth there which is strange since it had much less effect on the rest of my body hair. @bridgeburn was on a similar protocol and he noticed mostly his arms but not his face so this is just as mysterious as it is with the rest of hair growth.
I was only moderately hairy even before HRT, mostly on my chest, which is another puzzle. There are many bears out there with full heads of hair and there are many guys with little to no chest hair with little head hair. DHT is supposed to moderate all body hair growth but apparently our receptors vary on all of these different places, scalp, beard, chest, legs, pubic region, even hands and feet. Nothing grows body hair like T/DHT though and many FtM's end up posting pics where every single cm appears to be covered and I guess they seek that.
Janey
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Oh Janey, what a Doll. I appreciate response. I am taking just a bit more than you. Probly closer to 30 mg. Divided 15 morning and 15 mg. At night. I have only been doing it for about one month. I am starting to see small gains in hairline. My hair is almost to my
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Oops, waist. I have diffused thinning along my hairline, with one area that could be traction related. I get puffy eyes so bad I feel like a chameleon. I struggled to grow facial or body hair before. My facial hair is starting to get crazy, as are my eyebrows. It's all worth it to me. Thanks again for your kindness and encouragement.
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Can i ask if you are taking minoxidil sublingually or oral?
30 mg is a very big dose.. Do you remember at how many mg the eye swelling started?
Thanks
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Shoulders, you mean?
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so for you laser hair removal worked despite the oral minoxidil? i ask many specialist here in france and they all told me taht i wans't a candidate fo laser removal because minoxidil would cause my hair to regrow again and again.... How long for the unwanted body hair to fall after quitting the drug? i can't handle this side anymore , ive got crazy long unwanted hair behind my arm that is scary
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I am using Kirklands liquid minoxidil sublingually. I realize that is a big dose. I have high blood pressure. I stopped taking one of my meds , to substitute it with the minoxidil. I check my blood pressure daily ( 118/76 avg now.) That's good for me. I would say the eye swelling started around the 15 mg. Area. I did work my way up to 30 mg. Over this last month. I have noticed the eye swelling is getting better everyday.
Again, I know 30 mg. Is a lot. I don't promote or even suggest anyone do this. I have always had very long hair. Everyone knows me by all my tattoos and long black hair. I just can't loose what has become part of my identity.
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Shoulders, ? My hair? No my hair is way longer.
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What are you seeking then, on here, prevention more so?
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My hairline. I have some thinning. I believe one area is traction alopecia. I used to wear my hair pulled back a lot and probably too tight. I would be happy to maintain what I have. I would be extremely happy to make some gains as far as better coverage on my hairline. I use concealer most days. I doubt anyone even notices the thinning. To me it's devastating though.
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If it sounds as if I'm boasting about having long hair , I'm not. The opposite is true. This has been part of my identity most of my life, and probably my security blanket. I am very insecure by nature. I just want what science has failed to deliver... I want advise and input on the best way to treat my hairloss issues.
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Thank you for sharing your experience!
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the hypertrichosis is not too insane with 30 mg?
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To be real honest , no. I'm rather excited about the prospect of growing a beard. I'm 54. I have never had enough facial hair to try a beard. I trim my eyebrows. I still have no body hair. I have only been on oral minoxidil for a month. It remains to be seen how hypertrichos will ultimately evolve. If my Doctor prescribes minoxidil pills I will probably just use the dose she prescribed. The only reason I use the higher dosage is that I have concerns about the efficacy of ingesting liquid Minoxidil. I don't know how much is absorbed sublingually. I don't know how much is lost in the gastrointestinal tract. I made a decision to go a bit overboard in hopes of off setting these potential concerns.
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I posted previously, asking about differences between Tretinoin and Adapalene. I went ahead with experimenting mixing Minoxidil with Adapalene ( differin Gel ). I don't know if it's psychosomatic , but I'm finally seeing promising results on my hairline. I have been consuming Minoxidil orally so not sure if it attributed to one or the other. The traction alopecia area is filling in a lot , while my overall frontal scalp is thickening up well too. After years of frustration and experimentation , I'm actually hopeful and excited. Maintaining my hair metal band looks is tough at 54 years old. I guess getting older sucks in general.