Questions for Minoxidil Users

[DaSand]

I had an appointment with my psychiratrist today and asked if I could use minoxidil, he said it wouldn't be a problem with my meds.

I'm not sure if I should go with Rogaine Extra Strength 5% or Dr. Lee's Xandrox 5%. I got a consultation with Dr. Lee and he recommended Xandrox 5% for all parts of my scalp.

Does Rogaine work in bald areas like thinning areas and on your hairline? The box says it doesn't but some people on here says it does. I'm sorry if I sound like a noob (and in my first post).

Thanks for any help!
DaSand

 

[SE-freak]

DaSand:

Minoxidil works for all areas of the scalp. The general rule is: the further back we go the better it works. The FDA trials focused on the vertex area(as it would compliment Rogaine to present the better results of the vertex area) so Pfizer cannot claim results for receeding hairlines.

 

[DaSand]

DaSand:

Minoxidil works for all areas of the scalp. The general rule is: the further back we go the better it works. The FDA trials focused on the vertex area(as it would compliment Rogaine to present the better results of the vertex area) so Pfizer cannot claim results for receeding hairlines.

Thanks, now I just hope I don't gain weight after applying it (I'm losing a lot after running 3 days a week and using the gym 2-3 days a week and don't want to get it back )

I got a 1 month supply of Rogaine Extra Strength just now. Can't wait to use it!

 

[SE-freak]

Go ahead. Rogaine is just a growth stimulant. I personally do not consider it a male pattern baldness treatment as it only gives an "offset" of growth- some extra hair to carry along.

Regarding the weight gain you mentioned: If one gains weight on rogaine it is not just innocent weight gain. It's fluid retention. I cannot see why you expect to get this rare serious side-effect. If you do get it, you will have to discontinue Rogaine though-it is not a simple matter of a few extra pounds.

If you are worried about sides,make sure you apply Rogaine on a dry scalp. A well hydrated scalp is more permeable increasing absorption(which is a good thing if you do not get sides eventually),hence chances for side effects.

 

[DaSand]

Thanks SE-freak for your help.

I started the Extra Strength this morning. I saw too with a mirror that a bald spot was starting to form in the back. I applied it everywhere, now comes the waiting game while taking it daily. I dried my hair before putting it on to not have the side effects (hopefully, it won't happen).

Sadly, I'll have to purchase the one month pack because I don't have much money (and I need that for college books and other things in life).

I was thinking of maybe just shaving my head bald with a cue ball and then putting the Rogaine on and do it for a year to see progress.

If there's one thing I learned about hair loss, don't bother talking to family about it. Both sides of my family have hair loss and I didn't want to look 40 at 25. They accepted it, it was different for me because I got a lot of insults thrown at me and the ususal "You're going bald man" from the peers. Parents don't and never will see how much it affected you.

I tried to talk to my mom about it, but the usual "no, just accept it". It didn't affect my grandfathers, but it affects me for some reason.

Now I'm consdering going into science for a major and find a cure for baldness before I die. I'm really thinking about it.

Thanks again SE-freak!

 

[Justlooking]

you can get a genric 3 month supply for like 20 bucks. Thats pretty cheap...Get water instead of soda/alcohol a couple of times and you'll have paid it off

 

[DaSand]

you can get a genric 3 month supply for like 20 bucks. Thats pretty cheap...Get water instead of soda/alcohol a couple of times and you'll have paid it off

Should I get like store brand Minoxidil 5%? Like CVS or Walgreens? Is it effective as Rogaine?

 

[Justlooking]

you can get a genric 3 month supply for like 20 bucks. Thats pretty cheap...Get water instead of soda/alcohol a couple of times and you'll have paid it off

Should I get like store brand Minoxidil 5%? Like CVS or Walgreens? Is it effective as Rogaine?

I stick with the brand name because I can afford to... however, generics are probably a better option than none at all. People will argue over the effectiveness of generics.. I have no problem with them myself... It just like asking does the CVS asprin work as well as advil? Probably..

 

[Radio]

Should I get like store brand Minoxidil 5%? Like CVS or Walgreens? Is it effective as Rogaine?

Rogaine, as I am sure you might have noticed, takes a long ol' time to dry, in fact it is never really dry. This is because of the ratio of PPG to Alchohol in Rogaine. Kirkland and other minoxidil formulas suffer a similar problem.

Dr Lee's standard minoxidil (product 500) drys in around 5-10 minutes and causes less scalp irritation with its lower PPG - higher alcohol content, this lower PPG formula does not effect efficacy as its main role is in extending the products shelf life, in fact studies have shown increased alchohol is beneficial when it come to absorption.

Minoxidil will not stop or even slow your hair loss, it will grow a little extra hair but the underlying cause will continue (dihydrotestosterone). I realise this sounds counterintuitive but think of minoxidil like this:

You have a garden of dying plants because the soil is poisoned, they are wilting, if you srinkle a little water on them they will pep up for a while, but because you are not removing the poison from the soil this 'pepping up' effect will be short lived ( in minoxidils case around 2 years) and eventually no amount of water will stop them from dying.




Finasteride will slow or, if you are very lucky, stop your hair loss, giving minoxidil a chance to grow a little back.

 

[Justlooking]

( in minoxidils case around 2 years) .

I find this to be more opinion than fact

 

[SE-freak]

Dr Lee's standard minoxidil (product 500) drys in around 5-10 minutes and causes less scalp irritation with its lower PPG - higher alcohol content, this lower PPG formula does not effect efficacy as its main role is in extending the products shelf life, in fact studies have shown increased alchohol is beneficial when it come to absorption.

Rynan,

You really think that (leaving aside shelf life) 5-10 minutes and 2 hours(at best) of moisture lead to the same level of absorption? I doubt it.

 

[sam-]

( in minoxidils case around 2 years)

Is that true ?

 

[SE-freak]

No. It obviously depends on the rate of progression.

 

[Radio]

Rynan,

You really think that (leaving aside shelf life) 5-10 minutes and 2 hours (at best) of moisture lead to the same level of absorption? I doubt it.

Yeah, I have thought about this one as well,

If you bought two moisturisers, one which fully absorbed quickly into your skin and one which even after two or three hours had not fully entered the epidermis and remained sat on the skin, which would you consider had the better absorption.

We should bear in mind, as I am sure you are aware, that what we are interested in is absorption and not moisturising.

Rynan.

 

[Radio]

>>> in minoxidils case around 2 years

I find this to be more opinion than fact

TRIAL DATA.


Graph is around 600k, folk on dial up will have to wait 1-2 minutes for it to start aninimating.

This graph is plotted from actual trial data.

Hair weight increases are represented by an increase in plot line thickness, these percentage changes have been doubled throughout this graph as a change from 100% to 124% (in the case of 2% minoxidil at 96 weeks) was just too subtle as to carry any meaning, so the 24% increased hair weight for 2% minoxidil @ week 96 is represented by a 48% thicker plot line.

The shape given to the evolving plot lines is pure conjecture, I have just smoothed out (using weighted splines) the linear plots generated by the known data points (the small circles), also the start point is ramped in by an arbitrary amount.

 

[Radio]

No. It obviously depends on the rate of progression.

No, I would say minoxidils anagen extending effects would be fairly consistent regardless of the rate of progression.

But I would say that a man with more progressed male pattern baldness will certianly notice more that his balding had 'outrun' minoxidils anagen extending effects, than someone in the earlier stages.

 

[SE-freak]

Rynan,

You really think that (leaving aside shelf life) 5-10 minutes and 2 hours (at best) of moisture lead to the same level of absorption? I doubt it.

Yeah, I have thought about this one as well,

If you bought two moisturisers, one which fully absorbed quickly into your skin and one which even after two or three hours had not fully entered the epidermis and remained sat on the skin, which would you consider had the better absorption.

We should bear in mind, as I am sure you are aware, that what we are interested in is absorption and not moisturising.

Rynan.

Yes, I can see your point here, but a liquid that dries in 10 minutes and less makes me think of volatility and not absorption.

A comparison trial between brand name Rogaine and PPG free minoxidil would be really interesting.

 

[SE-freak]

No. It obviously depends on the rate of progression.

No, I would say minoxidils anagen extending effects would be fairly consistent regardless of the rate of progression.

But I would say that a man with more progressed male pattern baldness will certianly notice more that his balding had 'outrun' minoxidils anagen extending effects, than someone in the earlier stages.

What if, lets say, we were talking about a man who experienced a wave of recession and then stabilized, having started treatments on first notice.
What could retard minoxidils effect?

 

[Radio]

Yes, I can see your point here, but a liquid that dries in 10 minutes and less makes me think of volatility and not absorption.

A comparison trial between brand name Rogaine and PPG free minoxidil would be really interesting.

Is it a liquid that dries in 10-15 minutes or is it a liquid that absorbs in 10-15 minutes ?

Volatility is certianly an issue with a solution left exposed to the air for 2-3 hours or more.

A comparison would be good indeed.

 

[Radio]

What if, lets say, we were talking about a man who experienced a wave of recession and then stabilized, having started treatments on first notice.
What could retard minoxidils effect?

I don't believe minoxidils effects are ever retarded as such, I believe minoxidil remains effective for as long as you use it, but that the natural balding associated with male pattern baldness will, on average after around 2 years, start to negate any gains made with minoxidil.

Without minoxidil the loss would be faster and greater.