Minoxidil - Only grows vellus hairs?

[virtua_]

Hi!

This is one of my first posts here, will start posting more soon. Going to start using Rogaine foam soon, but I've read that minoxidil initiates a shedding, which I've understood is because of the hair cycles.

However, I read somewhere that after that minoxidil can only grow small vellus hairs, no longer than 2-3 cms, and will not ever grow terminal hairs? Is this bullshit, or is it true? What if it's combined with finasteride?

Thanks guys!

 

[Far Too Young]

It probably depends on how good of a responder you are. Of course, if you have dormant or miniaturized follicles and it encourages their expansion, those will put forth miniaturized or intermediate hairs for the first couple of cycles (IF you respond at all). If you are responding, and Rogaine works extremely well (i.e. moderate to dense regrowth) as it supposedly does for a third of users, these miniaturized follicles that do respond should expand into terminal hairs. In short, if it only regrew vellus hairs, it would be rather useless. But in turn, vellus hairs will certainly reappear from dormant follicles before terminal. I suppose it is very possible that minoxidil might induce the growth of vellus hairs that are never able to expand into terminal hairs. The addition of oral finasteride might help that, though.

I'm about mid-week four with a Norwood 1.5 with thinning at vertex, and I've been in a massive shed for a week and a half now. The timing is all in line with what is generally described. I've been gaining quite a bit of inflammation, though, and will switch to foam when this bottle is up. Damn stuff is like liquid (and now aerosol) gold. Good luck.

 

[Far Too Young]

Also, I believe *true* vellus hairs stay under a centimeter.

 

[virtua_]

Oh, OK, great explanation, thanks you guys!

 

[Far Too Young]

I'm pretty new - don't think I'm one of the guys yet. But I have lurked the forums long enough to get fairly versed in most things hair loss.

 

[virtua_]

Sorry, actually thought there were two people posting because of the two posts! :lol:

- Well, you sure did give a good answer man!

 

[CCS]

If you have smooth bald skin, vellus hairs are an improvement perhaps. Yes, minoxidil probably won't grow all your hair back to terminal from nothing. It just makes each hair bigger, and puts vellus on some of the smooth areas. Did you expect a miracle? I'm sure if your hairs are pigmented and semi-terminal when you start, they will probably get a little longer and be terminal. And if you add apple poly to that, maybe they will get longer. i'm not sure if the stimulants in apple poly work much differently than minoxidil does.