Rubbing minoxidil in

[Jaygee]

Hello.

I am 21, and have diffuse thinning on top. It's not noticeable to a casual observer yet, but I'm worried that that won't be true much longer. It would probably be noticeable if I had shorter hair (It's about 1964 Beatles' length)

I think I may have first started thinning at 17, because that's when I first noticed hair coming out in the shower. (However, my barber insists I had "insanely thick hair" even at 19.) Back then, it was about 50 per shower, and it only happened in spurts. Gradually the spurts became closer together, and more intense. I first checked my head a year ago when I noticed I was losing insane amounts every shower. (about 150) When my family doctor confirmed it, I started on minoxidil 5% right away (May 13.). Indeed, for two weeks, the shedding-per-shower increased to about 300, then, over two months, gradually whittled down to about 25. I was cautiously happy but not very optimistic, because I knew that's not what Minoxidil is supposed to do. Around September, it gradually started going up again, and in fits and starts it's now worked its way up to about 100-120 per shower. This is the highest it's been in a year---even two months ago, it was consistently at about 50-70.

Thus, I don't think the minoxidil is working, since I know that I'm thinner on top than I was a year ago. Until fairly recently, in a dry state the only indicator was a kind of wide part line on top. Now it's slowly drifting away from that line. The thinning has also spread to all the way in front. I have no idea at this point if a receding hairline is imminent, or it it's just the whole top going at the same time.

Again, this is not noticeable yet to anyone who's not pushing my hair around to look for it, but I am very worried that this isn't going to be true much longer. In the interest of trying to fight the good fight, I want to earnestly ask several things.

I have not been rubbing the minoxidil into my scalp. I have just been squirting it on and letting it roll around. The directions say "it is not necessary to use your fingertips....however, if you do...wash hands thoroughly...." I took this to mean that it didn't matter, and I didn't want to rub it in since it made the hairs cling together and show spaces. Now I am beginning to wonder if this is a mistake. Does anyone know if rubbing it in makes a difference?

I have been reading about this "Nizoral" shampoo on here. What exactly is it? Is the name "Nizoral" a brand name or a generic reference like "Kleenex" has become? I've looked in a fairly large supermarket but couldn't find anything with that name. Can anyone help me out? And would it possibly make a difference with the minoxidil, in anyone's experience anyway?

Also, a doctor gave me a perscription for Propecia a year ago but I never used it because of the price. I am getting nervous enough to overlook that and take the plunge. Please tell me.....has Propecia or Proscar [/i]really done any maintainence or regrowth for anyone on here? Please give me honest answers. I need to know. Aso my parents are dubious about helping me pay for it because of the side effects.

Finally, does anyone have an similar pattern to mine? Again, longish hair (early John Lennon, I guess) diffuse thinning for as long as 4 years, mostly on top but now having spread to front, still not noticeable except wet but just barely so, and losing about 120 a shower.

Please answer me honestly and to the best of your knowledge. Like some others on here, perhaps, I am one of those accursed people who cares way too much about this. Thanks.

 

[Axon]

So wait, your hair is long?

1. Hair length is irrelevant. Hair fallout is meaningless. This is an all too common myth. Hair loss and thinning is a process of miniturrization, not fall out. The average fallout is around 100-150 hairs a day; most of those hairs slip past the human eye.

The reports around these forums re: fallout fall into typical internet hyperbole, (OMG I R LOSING 10,000 HAIRS /DAY HLP HLP HLP OMG) and you should ignore that in general. I feel you're making your shower loss out to be a little worse than it is - we all do this at first - but I won't go into the reasons why. At least you didn't claim to have lost 70% of your density.

2. There are cheap, generic brands of Proscar that are available on the internet. Given your command of the English language, I suspect you have half a brain, and I suggest you go to google.com and type in "fincar." Should that be somehow beyonds your means, there is a "Propecia dumping ground" on this website which acts as a working index for sites that ship Fincar. Price is really no concern if you know where to look.

3. Minoxidil can be rubbed in, but to be honest, it makes little difference. Minoxidil is a systematically absorbed drug. Once it hits the skin it begins to absorb through the epidermis and eventually gets to the follicle. Either way, as long as you are applying it and it is hitting the scalp (and not being washed out), you should be fine.

4. Nizoral is an over the counter shampoo that many users swear by. One study suggested it had some minor hair regrowth properties, but I don't buy that. I will vouch for it's ability to improve scalp condition, however, and I feel it aids in the absorption of Minoxidil.

5. I have had results (thickening of thinning hair, improvement on the hairline) from Finasteride. I have not had side effects. Although there are some vocal dissenting opinions on its effectiveness, I recommend the drug highly.