Rogaine users, please help me out

[labellavita1985]

I've been on Rogaine 2% once a day for 2 weeks. Yesterday I lost 280 during and after washing. Today I lost 207 without washing. I NEED to know if this is typical of a Rogaine shed. It's 2-3 times what I would normally shed. I'm scared to DEATH. It's only 2%, once a day and for only two weeks! How is that even possible?? If it is the dread shed, how long can I expect it to last?? Your opinions are worth gold to me.

 

[Norwood One]

You shouldn't count hair like that, it's going to drive you crazy.

2 weeks sounds about right for a treatment induced shed. You need to stick it out with the 2% for atleast 3 months. It should stop and get better over time.

Also, did you have any adverse reaction to the rogaine? scalp rash/redness? If that's the case you may be allergic to one of the ingredients in the rogaine. If not, you're fine.

 

[buckthorn]

I've been on Rogaine 2% once a day for 2 weeks. Yesterday I lost 280 during and after washing. Today I lost 207 without washing. I NEED to know if this is typical of a Rogaine shed. It's 2-3 times what I would normally shed. I'm scared to DEATH. It's only 2%, once a day and for only two weeks! How is that even possible?? If it is the dread shed, how long can I expect it to last?? Your opinions are worth gold to me.

It could very well mean that it's working. Remember, you may shed a lot, and our hair may thin a bit, BUT you have A LOT of hair on your head. You won't go bald or anything. It can't be inducing permanent hair loss that quick, it's impossible. It is most likely speeding up the transition from your telogen hairs back into anagen to normalize the ratio, that's probably out of balance. To do so, you have to lose a lot of those hairs, so they can restart the growing phase.

 

[labellavita1985]

In terms of a reaction, I think minoxidil is aggravating my seborrheic dermatitis. I don't have any pain and am not any more itchy than usual. I'm using a PPG free liquid variety. Could the increased shedding be due to that?

 

[buckthorn]

In terms of a reaction, I think minoxidil is aggravating my seborrheic dermatitis. I don't have any pain and am not any more itchy than usual. I'm using a PPG free liquid variety. Could the increased shedding be due to that?

Poor Labellavita. I know what you're going through and I am sorry. You are going to spend hours on the internet researching different things and visit several dermatologists. The search for something that works is endlessly frustrating. Before you spin yourself into a perpetual vortex of sheer misery, consider a few things from someone that has tried it all. 1) You really are doing all you can. You are on spironolactone, a very very powerful medication for hair loss. Also, minoxidil is definitely something you need to attempt, as a hair loss sufferer. If you respond well to it, then it's a valuable weapon in your arsenal. 2) Hair loss is SO frustrating and scary, simply because a) hair takes a LONG time to grow, especially for women, who wear their hair longer and b) Hair cycles. I always say, if you want to rebuild a house, you first need to tear down a few walls.

That being said - I think you need to stick with minoxidil longer. GOOD responders shed a lot initially. I really don't think that minoxidil is going to cause permanent hair loss, especially at such a low concentration. ALSO, listen to your body. IF your inflammation has not increased, which you noted it hasn't, then that means it's probably not irritating your scalp or drastically worsening your situation. Be patient.

 

[labellavita1985]

K9, can you give me the numbers for women and minoxidil effectiveness again? It cannot possibly be a coincidence that I'm shedding 2-3 times more for the past week or so than I have in the past 8 months. I've been counting every single day, every single hair to the best of my ability. I even wear my hair up 99% of the time so I don't miss any hairs that shed.

So I disagree about the hair falling out from DHT. Androgenetic Alopecia isn't even associated with excessive shedding (200+ hairs a day,) usually.

Something is going on.

I also don't think the time period you cited for shedding is accurate. Don't the studies show that the most gains are experienced during months 4-6? If shedding is supposed to last 4-6 months, as you stated, how is that possible? Intuitively I want to say that the two phenomena, hair growth and hair loss, can't exist simultaneously.

 

[diehunnen123]

I've been on Rogaine 2% once a day for 2 weeks. Yesterday I lost 280 during and after washing. Today I lost 207 without washing. I NEED to know if this is typical of a Rogaine shed. It's 2-3 times what I would normally shed. I'm scared to DEATH. It's only 2%, once a day and for only two weeks! How is that even possible?? If it is the dread shed, how long can I expect it to last?? Your opinions are worth gold to me.

how do you know how many hairs you lost??

 

[labellavita1985]

I count them. I am OCD about it

 

[diehunnen123]

I count them. I am OCD about it

thats not even possible

 

[labellavita1985]

I do the best I can. Today I lost 120 without washing. I wear my hair up 99% of the time, so I shed everything when I wash and comb. I even wear a shower cap at night, and inside the cap, my hair is up. When I wash, I use a hair catcher. I concede it might not be perfect, but it gives me an idea. Over on the women's hair loss forum, lots of people count shed hairs. It also helps me keep an eye out for miniaturization and breakage.

 

[Norwood One]

I think you should add castor oil to your arsenal, btw. It's made my hair slightly thicker. And stay with the 2% minoxidil...the shedding occurs for many many people:

http://mhgrowyourgame.com/coaches-corner/staying-motivated-why-shedding-is-actually-a-good-thing

 

[labellavita1985]

Norwood, I take castor oil orally everyday. It's been only a few weeks though. But I haven't missed any dosings. Nothing to report yet. Were you talking about topical application? Can you elaborate on ypur experience with castor oil?

Thanks a ton for your feedback. That article you linked made me feel a bit better. It even says "within the first 2 weeks" is when shedding starts. I thought my experience was unusual but not according to the author.

 

[labellavita1985]

Thanks k9, but I am worried about skin changes (wrinkles, etc,) an alleged side for some. This is why I don't want to use 5% twice a day, in fact I am hesitant to use it even once a day, because I'm shedding so much and so soon, and I'm getting heart palpitations, so I am starting to suspect that I'm absorbing a lot of it, systemically. That's my concern, in addition to the dread shed but that's already happening anyway.

Thanks for all of your input.