Minoxidil has stopped working - not sure what to do

[tbreezie]

Hey guys,

I have used 7% minoxidil by itsefl once a day for the past 5 years with great results - until now.

I am 25 and started balding at 18 or 19, at which time I visited a hair clinic which got me on 7% minoxidil and finasteride. I dropped finasteride after about a year due to ignorance and overconfidence in minoxidil and had no worries until the last 2-3 months.

From September 2014 to now (5th of Jan 15) I have lost a great deal of hair and gone from an Norwood-1 to Norwood-2/NW2.5 with diffuse thinning. I have also just run out of the 7% minoxidil I have been buying from the hair clinic for the past 5 years as I am overseas.

I began treatment with finasteride 1mg, nizoral 2% and folligen one month ago and have seen an increase in the hair I have lost - whether this is the shed or continued male pattern baldness I don't know.

I need advice on my minoxidil use - should I discontinue using minoxidil completely as it has ceased working, or increase my dosage? I have been thinking about using the normal 5% twice a day, or maybe even using 10% minoxidil once to twice a day.

Please help!

 

[doublebatman]

I very much doubt that the minoxidil has stopped working, it sounds like your hair loss is progressing and minoxidil will only buy you so much time. If you're worried about shedding, I wouldnt jump off minoxidil, you'd probably be horrified at what your hair would return to without minoxidil. Stay on finasteride, minoxidil and nizoral. It's only a month, you need to give finasteride a chance to stabilise your hair loss. You're doing the right thing, you just have to be patient now.

 

[SayifDoit]

Minxodil does not stop 'working', it stops being as effective due to your male pattern baldness becoming more aggressive.
Minoxidil keeps your hairs alive, that would otherwise die due to DHT, male pattern baldness..
Really impressive it worked for such a long time though dude, hell I might even consider taking the stuff.

You're doing good getting on finasteride finally, if you can't get any regrowth from it...hopefully you can at least maintain.

 

[zzzzz]

youll be in trouble if you stop the minoxidil. You have to stay on it unless you want massive hairloss, even if you are also on finasteride

 

[tbreezie]

Thanks for the info guys. Do you think increasing the dosage of minoxidil will combat the increased aggressiveness of male pattern baldness?

 

[minoxiDjunkie]

No
ive tried them all -
5%
15%

with aa or without
mostly the same results

 

[jksl]

Are you getting any sides from the finasteride?

 

[tbreezie]

Not experiencing any sides fortunately.

Do you think that using anti-androgens will help the minoxidil grow my hair back again?

 

[winnyblues]

Yup

 

[jksl]

It should help

 

[tbreezie]

Thanks legends !