New thoughts on minoxidil

[Ende]

I thought I would give minoxidil a second chance, and did one application to the hairline only, before I changed my mind. Some weeks later, I noticed some thick hairs along the hairline. I mean, they were noticably thicker then all the rest. I was wondering about this, before I remembered that I had used minoxidil. I figure, as minoxidil alone is known to be effective against male pattern baldness if you apply it twice a day - every day, less would probably be effective when used with finasteride, as it takes care of the DHT which is attacking the follicle. Now, whatever it does, if it's true that it works by enlarging the hair follicles, maybe minoxidil could be used as a growth stimulant for a limited time, and you could be able to preserve the hair with finasteride only. I mean, once the follicle has recovered, and DHT is under control, why should it miniaturize again?

 

[Todd]

My doctor actually recommended the following approach:

"start out with rogaine and propecia; then after 6 months ditch the rogaine and continue propecia."

I didn´t o it, though, started only propecia ´cause I was to lazy.

I keep reading about the follicles becoming dependent on minoxidil; and that when you quit it, even more hair will fall out due to this.
But I know that telogen effluvium (which is transitory) and even light cases of alopecia areata (sometimes also transitory) are treated with minoxidil for limited time periods (3 months, 6 months).

Maybe it could be used as a temporary growth stim?


Also Dr. Lee says that after 3 or so years, you could halve the dosage to 1 time per day; as no furhter growth is likely and 1/day is sufficient to "maintain"...
I don´t know though; don´t really know that much about minoxidil...

 

[Bryan]

It has been well-established for years that finasteride alone isn't usually capable of maintaining hair that was regrown with topical minoxidil. There was even a case history of that reported in a medical journal.

 

[Todd]

It has been well-established for years that finasteride alone isn't usually capable of maintaining hair that was regrown with topical minoxidil. There was even a case history of that reported in a medical journal.

Ok, but is it true what they say about dependency? That even hair that isn´t falling out due to male pattern baldness will become dependent on minoxidil, and cease to grow if you quit it?

Also; and this has been on my mind for some time now, is it really necessary to use it twice a day?

 

[TheGrayMan2001]

Does anyone have a link to an explanation of why minoxodil helps hairs regrow despite DHT attacking those hairs?

 

[Ende]

It has been well-established for years that finasteride alone isn't usually capable of maintaining hair that was regrown with topical minoxidil. There was even a case history of that reported in a medical journal.

What if it's just male pattern baldness progressing, like it unfortunately does in some cases, despite of even using both finasteride and minoxidil? You know if there is any trails done with both finasteride and minoxidil?

 

[Ende]

Does anyone have a link to an explanation of why minoxodil helps hairs regrow despite DHT attacking those hairs?

Noone knows for sure how it really works.

 

[Bryan]

Ok, but is it true what they say about dependency? That even hair that isn´t falling out due to male pattern baldness will become dependent on minoxidil, and cease to grow if you quit it?

The best available evidence to answer that question comes from Vera Price's excellent 1999 study of topical minoxidil. She measured both haircounts and hairweights in her test-subjects not only for the 96 weeks in which they used topical minoxidil, but also for 24 weeks after they STOPPED using it! Dr. Price found that counts and weights took a bit hit immediately after cessation of treatment (in some cases actually dropping _below_ the placebo group, if I recall correctly), but counts and weights had rebounded again after the 24 weeks, back to similar levels as in the placebo group.

Also; and this has been on my mind for some time now, is it really necessary to use it twice a day?

Twice a day works a little better than once a day, but not TWICE as well, in any intuitive sense of the word! Using it only once a day is certainly more effective than not using it at all.

 

[Bryan]

What if it's just male pattern baldness progressing, like it unfortunately does in some cases, despite of even using both finasteride and minoxidil? You know if there is any trails done with both finasteride and minoxidil?

Only in stumptailed macaques. It had an additive effect on haircounts.

 

[Ende]

It's an interesting thought, and it's a lot of money involved. I mean, if you actually could use minoxidil as a growth stimulant for a limited time and maintain the hair with finasteride only, someone would lose a lot of money. I guess the only way to find out is to experiment, but I'm not sure if I'm going to put the result at risk, if I decide to try minoxidil once more, and get regrowth.

 

[Bryan]

I mean, if you actually could use minoxidil as a growth stimulant for a limited time and maintain the hair with finasteride only...

Trust me on this one: that idea, while very very attractive, has been shot down in flames for YEARS on hairloss sites like this one! Not just from that medical journal case history I reported earlier, but also from actual users on these sites: if you stop using minoxidil, you LOSE any hair you may have grown, even if you're using Propecia.

 

[OverMachoGrande]

Bryan is right. Trust me, do not stop minoxidil if you have been using it for a long time. I don't care what DHT blocker you are using or for that matter any other treatment. Within 3 months you will lose your minoxidil hair you regrew as well as any hair you "saved" while on it.

 

[Ende]

Yeah, I hear you loud and clear guys. Thanks for clearing that up