No regrowth after a year on minoxidil. Will I experience a shed if I quit now?

[RobertF]

In January 2014 I started using liquid minoxidil. I experienced a minor shed about two weeks in, but then swapped the liquid for minoxidil foam after two more weeks (the liquid gave me side effects). I'm pretty sure I had no sheds on the foam. I've been using it to this day, but haven't seen even slightest regrowth. If anything, I have experienced a rapid acceleration of my male pattern baldness, which was pretty mild prior to starting minoxidil. I developed a widow's peak and my hairline began receding in the front, in addition to the previously receded corners.

I don't see any reason to continue using minoxidil at this point. Do you think I will experience the usual post-minoxidil shed considering I haven't regrown any hair on it?

 

[Raz]

Are you on any DHT-inhibitor? If not, add finasteride/dutasteride in the mix and observe for another year.

 

[RobertF]

I've used finasteride for a month, had to quit due to sides. Currently using the S5 spironolactone cream, been on it since July. I know it's not popular and considered to be a weak anti-androgen, but I saw quite a few accounts of people at least maintaining on it (or getting regrowth from using the cream in addition to minoxidil).

Since I strongly suspect that, for whatever reason (using it without finasteride? using foam? switching from liquid to foam early in the treatment?), minoxidil has made my hair worse, I want to quit it. And since I haven't regrown any hair, it seems only logical that I won't lose any when I quit it. But it can't be that simple, right?

 

[zzzzz]

they recommend you stop if you don't see results after 4 months. I would expect a shed but whatever

 

[RobertF]

Yes, that's what it says on the packaging. But what hair would I shed though? I haven't regrown any. Does healthy hair really become "minoxidil-dependent"? If so, I'm screwed, since I've been applying it pretty much all over my head (my hair has thinned/become finer overall, which may or may not be due to my hypothyroidism, so I tried to thicken it up a little; also, minoxidil foam works nicely as a styling product).