Hi Bruce Lee!
I'm new to this forum and its nice to talk you.
Yes, I was on the Big 3 with probably better results than most people here. Had almost a complete recovery. Temples 95% filled in. Hairline much stronger. I'm still only a Norwood 1-1.5.
Then I saw many user reports of "minoxidil tolerance" occuring and that scared the hell out of me. Come on, what am I gonna do if minoxidil stops to work on me in 1-2 years? Its scary. Then the final decision came when I came across the following from Dr.Proctor and Dr.Lee. AYE AYE AYE...both confirm minoxidil is highly likely to stop working in "many". I stopped the minoxidil right away to save it for later. Now I need a suggestion for other topicals "for now".
So now I'm just on the Big 2 but start to thin again. ;-(
randy schroeter asked: "Dr. Proctor, My regular doctor (who is not a hair/skin specialist) says that Rogaine is effective for only 2 years after treatments begin, then hair loss will recur - Is this correct? Regards, Randy Schroeter"
Dr Peter H. Proctor, PhD MD answered: "
Sort of. While it can work indefinitely, in many persons, topical minoxidil does lose its efficacy within 2-3 years after startign treatment. This is likely a combination of drug tolerance per se plus progression of the balding process. However, you are still likely better off than if you had never used minoxidil at all.
Peter H Proctor, PhD, MD
http://www.drproctor.com>....."
ALSO BY DR.LEE
However, with the medications currently available the amount of scalp hair regrowth is maximized after approximately two years of treatment and it's unlikely that more hair follicles will be recruited to produce a terminal hair shaft again after that time. Some patients will be able to maintain the hair on the scalp with continued treatment, but most patients will gradually see some thinning again. At the end of four and five year studies, patients who stayed on treatment definitely did much better than untreated patients, but the positive results had declined from the second year.
In your case, the positive results were completely reversed. The causal factors have to do with the genetic coding for your hair follicles, not with the "lost effectiveness" of the Propecia and topical minoxidil. Although it may be difficult to accept (and even more difficult to prove), your continued use of these medications probably ameliorated the rapid hair loss.
Richard Lee, M.D. "
