Rapid Loss And Receding Hairline From Starting Minoxidile

[memoryboy]

Has anyone else experienced a rapid loss of hair from starting minoxidil? Like literally having your hairline recede for 1cm or even more. That seemed to be happening with me several times I wanted to start minoxidil. Not just thinning out but literally just all my hair going from hairline and hairline moving up and bald area expanding. Shedding from other parts too.

Hairline damage has been so bad I've discontinued both times.
Should I ride it out?

I don't see the hairline moving back though either way.
Once I rode it out for 6 months. Hairline didn't come back to the same level. Don't know if there was other improvements.

 

[TomRiddle]

Has anyone else experienced a rapid loss of hair from starting minoxidil? Like literally having your hairline recede for 1cm or even more. That seemed to be happening with me several times I wanted to start minoxidil. Not just thinning out but literally just all my hair going from hairline and hairline moving up and bald area expanding. Shedding from other parts too.

Hairline damage has been so bad I've discontinued both times.
Should I ride it out?

I don't see the hairline moving back though either way.
Once I rode it out for 6 months. Hairline didn't come back to the same level. Don't know if there was other improvements.

Only 40% of people respond to minoxidil, the rest just get the shed, the baldness advances anyways and some don't even get their hair back. This sh*t poison destroyed my hair, it's texture and color and it barely recovered after a year or so but i still did not get a part of it that immediately went with it's first usages, it was like it was literally eating my hair and it's health, it made it look dry and worse like i never had it before.

So yeah, your not the only one, if you check their official Rogaine site or search for reviews online you will find thousands of people who experience the exact same thing, as i said, only 40% respond to it in some way, the rest 60% should never use it in my opinion but unfortunately nobody does a test before so you could know if it's worth it or not.

I regret using it, i regret listening to the retarded mentally ill idiots who advised like they do with propecia also, to just ride it out. I learned my lesson but it costed me a lot of hair and hair quality that i don't think i will ever get back...

 

[xaragedom]

Only 40% of people respond to minoxidil, the rest just get the shed, the baldness advances anyways and some don't even get their hair back.

Some studies are suggesting that if you are getting shed from minoxidil you are a good responder to it. I have used it for a year with dermaroller and retinol 0.5% and zero regrowth and zero shed as well.

OP whats your age? maybe your hairline is maturing or your androgenetic alopecia is progresing

 

[TomRiddle]

Some studies are suggesting that if you are getting shed from minoxidil you are a good responder to it. I have used it for a year with dermaroller and retinol 0.5% and zero regrowth and zero shed as well.

Well yeah, most studies are done by the manufacturer unfortunately , it's written on the minoxidil leaflet and on their site also and it's actually true because every treatment starts with a shed, even dermarolling can cause it, heard some cases of keto doing it also and we all know about the famous shock loss shed from transplants that happens because the of the new implanted hairs that are dragging all the blood into the "new" follicles from the surroundings, it's actually a very complex process that a lot of people have no idea about and it's understandable since most of people being just mindless sheep.

What is sad is that people tend to ignore the fact that a shed does not equal regrowth also and not in all cases is a good sign, the hairs being shed being at the verge of dying anyways and when they should get back stronger they can't because of different lacking reasons. That's why when you read a study on minoxidil for example that shows clearly that only 40% or so people are responding to the treatment, you really need to keep in mind that there is a very big possibility to be in the 60% that won't respond to it, regardless if you get the shedding at first, shedding that probably happens in 99% of cases when minoxidil is used.

And besides all of this and what i think is mostly important, don't forget how fast can an idea go around the internet and become a norm or something accepted by the majority as facts, look at memes for example and a lot of other examples, soon enough if things go in the same direction, people will have no way to differentiate what's real or not, the truth from a lie, a conspiracy theory from reality and so on, it's happening right in front of our eyes, it's created by us and everybody is ignoring it like it does not even happen, it's very sad but unfortunately it's the plain truth also.

 

[dehoha]

I am a little over 4 months into it. My hairline is receding + my top is thinning as well. My sides are also falling out. I am still shedding a lot and sometimes vellus hairs (tiny hairs) fall out. I have never seen tiny hairs fall out before month 3, so this is new. I have used minoxidil in the past with success, so I am going to ride it out. It already damaged my hair so much that I can't imagine stopping it at this point.

 

[PDT70]

Has anyone else experienced a rapid loss of hair from starting minoxidil? Like literally having your hairline recede for 1cm or even more. That seemed to be happening with me several times I wanted to start minoxidil. Not just thinning out but literally just all my hair going from hairline and hairline moving up and bald area expanding. Shedding from other parts too.

Hairline damage has been so bad I've discontinued both times.
Should I ride it out?

I don't see the hairline moving back though either way.
Once I rode it out for 6 months. Hairline didn't come back to the same level. Don't know if there was other improvements.

Has anyone else experienced a rapid loss of hair from starting minoxidil? Like literally having your hairline recede for 1cm or even more. That seemed to be happening with me several times I wanted to start minoxidil. Not just thinning out but literally just all my hair going from hairline and hairline moving up and bald area expanding. Shedding from other parts too.

Hairline damage has been so bad I've discontinued both times.
Should I ride it out?

I don't see the hairline moving back though either way.
Once I rode it out for 6 months. Hairline didn't come back to the same level. Don't know if there was other improvements.

I'm late to the party on this thread, but I had a very negative hair loss experience with Rogaine / Minoxidil. I do know that Rogaine has worked wonders for many people so my intent is not to say that it's bad for everyone, but the evidence is definitely out there that it can do more harm that good depending on the person.


I'm a 50yr old male and I started Minoxidil 5% foam in Nov 2019 as a purely preventative measure. When I started I still had 85-90% of the hair density and hairline (Norwood 1) I had in my 20's. I have also been using Finasteride for almost 20yrs. I was not really seeking regrowth from minoxidil, just wanted to maintain what I had so I doubled down on the defence. Admittedly I didn't do much research before starting the drug…I mean it's an over the counter product sold in the same section as the J&J Baby shampoo intended to grow hair…it wouldn’t damage your hair, right? I wish now that I’d done more research beforehand, although I’m not sure with the multiple success stories out there that I would have made a different decision.


In the first 3 months I really didn’t notice any mass shed or any other side effects, or growth, but in early March 2020 (3-4 months in), I started to see regression on my hairline and over the next couple months became very diffuse through my temples through to the crown…basically everywhere I was applying it. This is when I did the deep dive research and found out about the possible sheds and that it was a sign that it was working. So I ‘trusted the process’ and continued up until the 7 month mark (June 2020). My hair continued to shed and become more diffuse up to this point. I quit the drug in June 2020 after 7 months of use. It’s now Nov and I’m continuing to shed hair…something to be expected after quitting as the hair cycles reset. They say you will only lose the hair that Rogaine re-grew… not true in my case… I did not get incremental growth (new hair). I have yet to see any signs of recovery and know now that I will likely never get back what I had and I’m still waiting for it to stabilize. I’ve lost more hair in the last 8-9 months than I have in the last 20 years and it has been a devastating experience. I suspect the stress and anxiety of the overall situation has had an impact too. I’m convinced the drug addicted my follicles, even the heathy ones… perhaps something to do with being a bit older. For the record I had no other medical conditions, take no other medications other than finasteride, I workout 4-5 times per week, weigh 155lbs with <15% body fat etc. The only places I lost hair is where I applied the drug. Again I know it works for many people but there is an element of Russian roulette when you use Rogaine. If you have decent hair already do your research and consider all the potential consequences before using it. See photos of my pre-minoxidil, and regression along the way.

 

[junebee]

I'm late to the party on this thread, but I had a very negative hair loss experience with Rogaine / Minoxidil. I do know that Rogaine has worked wonders for many people so my intent is not to say that it's bad for everyone, but the evidence is definitely out there that it can do more harm that good depending on the person.


I'm a 50yr old male and I started Minoxidil 5% foam in Nov 2019 as a purely preventative measure. When I started I still had 85-90% of the hair density and hairline (Norwood 1) I had in my 20's. I have also been using Finasteride for almost 20yrs. I was not really seeking regrowth from minoxidil, just wanted to maintain what I had so I doubled down on the defence. Admittedly I didn't do much research before starting the drug…I mean it's an over the counter product sold in the same section as the J&J Baby shampoo intended to grow hair…it wouldn’t damage your hair, right? I wish now that I’d done more research beforehand, although I’m not sure with the multiple success stories out there that I would have made a different decision.


In the first 3 months I really didn’t notice any mass shed or any other side effects, or growth, but in early March 2020 (3-4 months in), I started to see regression on my hairline and over the next couple months became very diffuse through my temples through to the crown…basically everywhere I was applying it. This is when I did the deep dive research and found out about the possible sheds and that it was a sign that it was working. So I ‘trusted the process’ and continued up until the 7 month mark (June 2020). My hair continued to shed and become more diffuse up to this point. I quit the drug in June 2020 after 7 months of use. It’s now Nov and I’m continuing to shed hair…something to be expected after quitting as the hair cycles reset. They say you will only lose the hair that Rogaine re-grew… not true in my case… I did not get incremental growth (new hair). I have yet to see any signs of recovery and know now that I will likely never get back what I had and I’m still waiting for it to stabilize. I’ve lost more hair in the last 8-9 months than I have in the last 20 years and it has been a devastating experience. I suspect the stress and anxiety of the overall situation has had an impact too. I’m convinced the drug addicted my follicles, even the heathy ones… perhaps something to do with being a bit older. For the record I had no other medical conditions, take no other medications other than finasteride, I workout 4-5 times per week, weigh 155lbs with <15% body fat etc. The only places I lost hair is where I applied the drug. Again I know it works for many people but there is an element of Russian roulette when you use Rogaine. If you have decent hair already do your research and consider all the potential consequences before using it. See photos of my pre-minoxidil, and regression along the way.

Hey PDT70 do you have an update? Your experience sounds pretty much exactly the same as mine and I'm wondering whether the hair shedding post-quitting will stabilize anytime soon. Preventative minoxidil was a bad idea for us both, but I'm wondering if there's any light at the end of the tunnel

 

[PDT70]

Hi. I really wish I had better news to tell you but my hair has not recovered. While the thinning has slowed somewhat vs last summer / fall after I quit, it still seems like my hair is falling faster than it ever has. That said as hair gets thinner, losing it at the same rate can appear worse since the baseline coverage is continually less. It’s coming up on a year since I quit this poison (poison to my hair anyway) and I’ve had no reversal. Also a symptom of being 51yrs old I suspect. Younger hair might bounce back. Hair is a tricky thing, a long process and a very individual process so I hope my comments don’t cause too much alarm as you might have better luck. If I could go back to when I quit Rogaine last June the one thing I would try to do differently is to stress less about it (easier said) as I’m sure that has had an impact on my hair loss too. I’ve had tons of anxiety and delved in an out of depression over this. I know it might sound extreme or even shallow considering everything else going on in the world today, but my hair was a part of my identity and to have it change so quickly is hard to take. I was always resigned to the fact that I would lose my hair over time, but not this rapidly. Rewinding back to 18 months ago I never worried about going out in the sun or my hair being wet...now it causes me a ton of anxiety as it looks so diffuse now and my scalp will burn in the direct sun. I’ve even shaved my head twice almost down to the skin just to face my biggest fear. It was somewhat cathartic and nothing to fidget with in the mirror. I’m angry at myself for f*****g with something that wasn’t really broken, but equally angry that an over the counter drug that promises to give you hair can actually take it away faster. I’ve likened it to other people I’ve spoken to that don’t understand hair loss or think that since I’m 50yrs old I shouldn’t care that much by saying…imagine you bought an over the counter wrinkle cream that promised to remove wrinkles, but as part of the process you might get more wrinkles at first then they would probably disappear…would you use it? And you’d sure as hell be pissed if it made you look older in a matter of a few months.
Rogaine is hiding behind male pattern baldness when this drug actually does do damage vs helping. There are tons of stories out there like ours but only on blogs etc. You have to dig deep. I’m sure J&Js lawyers do a good job of cleaning up any mainstream criticism (ie You Tube etc). As long as they get your $30 per month for 6-12 months they probably don’t give a sh*t whether it works for you or not.
Ok rant over. Sorry I’m obviously still processing this experience and carrying a ton of anger. As I said your situation might be different and please try as hard as you can not to stress about it as I’m sure that did not help my situation. Cheers