Rogaine for an eternity

[pringlea]

Heya, guys:

I've been balding since I was 19 in 1987. Didn't do much about it until it became markedly noticeable when I turned 22-ish. At that time Rogaine was scrip-only, propecia was only to be had via proscar, etc., etc. Dark days.

Luckily I was rooming with a med-student who was balding, too. We eventually got hold of finasteride via Tijuana and a little research. Anyway, this isn't my topic.

Sooo, I'm 37 now -- taking minoxidil, propecia, Nizoral, topical biotin and a little horsetail. I've maintained pretty well but as of about 3-4 months ago hairloss started to exceed growth. So I upped rogaine and ordered proxiphen (1.5 weeks now).

Thing is, I've really started to grow dense facial hair secondary to minoxidil use (with mild facial puffiness). Don't like it. I've tapered back but feel that the prox inescapably provides over-dose levels if used in conjunction wtih standard minoxidil application (twice a day -- once with prox and once via standard kirkland dropper).

So here's my Q: Are 2 doses of minoxidil required to achieve regrowth? Is one application enough (via prox)?

Also, I think I've hit my ceiling with proscar, and will be upping my dose to 2mgs/day. Is this o.k.?

TIA, amigos!!
Tony

 

[CCS]

2mg per day of proscar is not a high dose. you can take 30 per day for 6 months, and maybe 20 per day for longer than that. if you have the money you can just take 5mg per day if you want, and get 25% more regrowth.

As for the minoxidil, yes, once daily 5% will probably give you as much regrowth as twice daily 2%.

 

[IBM]

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[pringlea]

Actually, from 1992. Not much to say. Got on all the available treatments back then and it pretty much halted and regrew. Stayed on this for about 10 years w/o much loss or regrowth after the initial 2-ish year regrowth phase. Then I got lazy and stopped using rogaine. Now I'm balding again and trying everything like mad. Waiting for the miracle cure...

tp

 

[Felk]

I've had increased body hair growth using minoxidil twice a day + proxiphen.

I'm going to stop minoxidil (only used it for 15 days, hopefully wont shed from not continuing, havent shedded yet) and only use a small amount of proxiphen.

If that doesnt stop it, ill use proxiphen on a dry scalp (using it on a wet scalp increases the absorbtion of minoxidil greatly). Problem is it's so much easier to use on a wet scalp, and you can use less. This is a BIG deal with prox, as it's so expensive.

 

[CCS]

i doubt you will see a decrease in body hair size in just 15 days, or see the body hair shed or reduce but not the head hair.


The best way to avoid systemic absorption, besides using a lower dose, is to just give the scalp blood vessels what they will absorb, and not too much. A 90% alcohol vehicle would dump minoxidil into the blood faster than the vessel walls could absorb it. The PPG is good. A 2% minoxidil with 5% PPG twice a day would be better. If you use it every 12 hours, instead of pushing the 8, that will help too.

Another thing that might help is applying it to alternate complementary rows twice a day, so it can diffuse. An even spread of the lowest dose is best, but often we must slather it on to get an even spread, instead of random drops.

I only want to apply it once a day. Yeah, twice would mean 50% more regrowth, but I'm hoping I get some REAL regrowth from other topicals, that dutasteride can maintain, not fake regrowth that only minoxidil can maintain. Twice a day means too much grease all the time.

Yeah, but twice a day with low doses, or even 3 times a day with even lower doses, and more PPG than ethanol, is the way to avoid systemic effects.

 

[IBM]

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[pringlea]

Give me a day or two to respond to last -- haven't read up on Norwood "topography."

Thanks for the great replies guy,
Tony

P.S. Is there a way to post pics on this site?

 

[htownballa]

Give me a day or two to respond to last -- haven't read up on Norwood "topography."

Thanks for the great replies guy,
Tony

P.S. Is there a way to post pics on this site?

Yes put up some before/after pix

 

[pringlea]

Norwood

Searched the site and couldn't find anything on norwood classifications. Can you guys tell me where to get it?

Thanks,
tp

 

[IBM]

Re: Norwood

Searched the site and couldn't find anything on norwood classifications. Can you guys tell me where to get it?

Thanks,
tp

 

[pringlea]

...Thanks. I guess I'm a 2 in the front with a back semi-bald spot the size of the 4 character. Pretty good maintenance for 17 years of balding that started unbelievably aggressively when I was 19.

tp

 

[-cj-]

...Thanks. I guess I'm a 2 in the front with a back semi-bald spot the size of the 4 character. Pretty good maintenance for 17 years of balding that started unbelievably aggressively when I was 19.

tp

So you're a 2V.

 

[jambri]

who knows, he might be a 1v, NW1 is not shown above. It can happen!

 

[Bryan]

A "Norwood 1" is a full head of hair.

 

[pringlea]

Pics

No place to post pics on the site?

TIA,
TP

 

[IBM]

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