So, explain to me a little bit more about Minoxidil! :)

[Hoppi]

Ok so, I mean it's always been on the cards for me as it can't hurt, depending of course on how my hair does over the next few months.

So like... when people say you have to stick to it what do they mean? I mean I guess if you were to stop, would the hairs still get flooded by whatever DHT the finasteride and nizoral didn't stop and so start to disappear? Is that the problem?



Is it as good as people often make out?

Hoppi

 

[Nashville Hairline]

They mean you have to take it permanently to keep the hair you have regrown with it. This is regardless of whether you are on finasteride. Typically in 4-6 months you will lose everything you gained once you stop applying it.

 

[Bryan]

According to what I consider to be the best available scientific evidence (Dr. Vera Price's excellent 1999 study of topical minoxidil), all it does is give you an extra "offset of growth". It doesn't really interfere with the fundamental balding process, it just gives you a little more hair than you WOULD have had, each step of the way, as balding continues on its inevitable course. (That's assuming that you use it alone, of course. If you use it along with something else like Propecia, it's the Propecia that would help maintain your hair, not really the minoxidil.)

 

[Hoppi]

According to what I consider to be the best available scientific evidence (Dr. Vera Price's excellent 1999 study of topical minoxidil), all it does is give you an extra "offset of growth". It doesn't really interfere with the fundamental balding process, it just gives you a little more hair than you WOULD have had, each step of the way, as balding continues on its inevitable course. (That's assuming that you use it alone, of course. If you use it along with something else like Propecia, it's the Propecia that would help maintain your hair, not really the minoxidil.)

that's exactly what I thought

So in theory, if you used Minoxidil on follicles and then removed their DHT, they would be fine wouldn't they? It just gives them a temporary new lease of life! That's quite useful to have as an option I think!

 

[Hoppi]

Wow ok, Minoxidil actually sounds pretty wicked!

It's both a local vasodilator AND a potassium channel opener isn't it, meaning the little hair follicles get FLOODED with blood, nutrients, lymph and oxygen that they would otherwise be denied! No wonder they spring back into life!! lol

I'm still learning about the specifics, alternatives to minoxidil etc etc, just to get some scientific scope and understanding of this, but wow I'm starting to see why this thing is so good!

So, it doesn't damage the follicles or anything in any way right? Like, if you stop using it, you only lose the follicles you would have lost anyway due to how much DHT is on them... right?

That's why you said Bryan that the finasteride is doing more actual MAINTAINING, because (unless the blood somehow detaches it, which seems unlikely) follicles being affected solely by Minoxidil are still covered in DHT at the root, it's just they are receiving so much blood, nutrients, lymph and oxygen anyway that it makes little difference... right?

I think I get it ^_^

 

[Nene]

Just take a look at Zero heat's story to see what minoxidil is capable of. I have found it to be very effective but you CANNOT miss doses. It can also irritate your scalp and give you some dandruff but the foam is much easier on the scalp and nizoral should take care of any itching or irritation.

 

[Hoppi]

Just take a look at Zero heat's story to see what minoxidil is capable of. I have found it to be very effective but you CANNOT miss doses. It can also irritate your scalp and give you some dandruff but the foam is much easier on the scalp and nizoral should take care of any itching or irritation.

It would make sense if missed doses were bad news because the DHT is still around the follicle. So the SECOND you stop forcing nutrients and blood through....... it dies.

So, I am right in saying it doesn't in any way damage follicles right?

I mean I doubt vasodilation would damage a follicle.....

but I'm more thinking about opening potassium channels and how forceful the effect might be.. although I would imagine it probably doesn't do any damage.

 

[Liam]

So, I am right in saying it doesn't in any way damage follicles right?

It doesn't harm follicles...The best way to think of it is the hairs regrown are dependent on minoxidil and become addicted to it. Once you stop feeding their addiction the cycle stops and they just fade away.

 

[Hoppi]

So, I am right in saying it doesn't in any way damage follicles right?

It doesn't harm follicles...The best way to think of it is the hairs regrown are dependent on minoxidil and become addicted to it. Once you stop feeding their addiction the cycle stops and they just fade away.

Well, I know WHY they need it, it's because they are still smothered in DHT right? So the sec it goes, their little capillaries and potassium channels close and they die >.<

But, yeah I guess I was just wondering if vasodilation and potassium channel opening from Min can do any harm.. but I guess that wouldn't make too much sense.

I searched the forum for damage minoxidil and I got all of ONE thread, written about 3 years ago saying that he thought it had damaged healthy hair follicles, but I reckon they were just in telogen so it encouraged them to shed!

 

[moxsom]

Well, I know WHY they need it, it's because they are still smothered in DHT right? So the sec it goes, their little capillaries and potassium channels close and they die >.<

That's not how it works at all. I think you should read a few papers on hair biology. The capillary disconnects during catagen of everyone of your hairs, not just you male pattern baldness hairs. Although damaged dermal papilla are smaller and receive less vasodilation. It should be known that other vasodilators haven't shown to improve male pattern baldness hairs like minoxidil and the mechanism for growth seems to be something else. The production of VEGF is one mechanism that has been proposed.

Also excess oxygen in cells can be bad too. Look up oxidative stress, or reactive oxygen species.

 

[Hoppi]

Well, I know WHY they need it, it's because they are still smothered in DHT right? So the sec it goes, their little capillaries and potassium channels close and they die >.<

That's not how it works at all. I think you should read a few papers on hair biology. The capillary disconnects during catagen of everyone of your hairs, not just you male pattern baldness hairs. Although damaged dermal papilla are smaller and receive less vasodilation. It should be known that other vasodilators haven't shown to improve male pattern baldness hairs like minoxidil and the mechanism for growth seems to be something else. The production of VEGF is one mechanism that has been proposed.

Also excess oxygen in cells can be bad too. Look up oxidative stress, or reactive oxygen species.

So, I am trying to regrow the two little portions at the front of my hairline where it's receded so far, to keep them going while I work everything else out. Is minoxidil really my BEST option? I'm just worried it will knock out other hairs in the process! lol

I've been looking at other options like apple polyphenols, onion, aloe vera, green tea etc etc ... do you think anything else could kick those follicles back into life with absolutely no risk of side effects (or very little)?

 

[OverMachoGrande]

Well, I know WHY they need it, it's because they are still smothered in DHT right? So the sec it goes, their little capillaries and potassium channels close and they die >.<

That's not how it works at all. I think you should read a few papers on hair biology. The capillary disconnects during catagen of everyone of your hairs, not just you male pattern baldness hairs. Although damaged dermal papilla are smaller and receive less vasodilation. It should be known that other vasodilators haven't shown to improve male pattern baldness hairs like minoxidil and the mechanism for growth seems to be something else. The production of VEGF is one mechanism that has been proposed.

Also excess oxygen in cells can be bad too. Look up oxidative stress, or reactive oxygen species.

I've been looking at other options like apple polyphenols, onion, aloe vera, green tea etc etc ... do you think anything else could kick those follicles back into life with absolutely no risk of side effects (or very little)?

I thought this was a thread about minoxidil and not supplements??? Your title clearly says "So, explain to me a little bit more about Minoxidil! " You already have alot of threads in the other section about supplements that work as growth stimulators. Hoppi, please do not start multiple threads about the same topic or start a thread about one topic and then turn in into a "vitamins/supplement" thread. We try hard to keep this board organized and have several categories for each topic/treatment.

Thanks!

 

[Hoppi]

sorry ._. lol

You make a good point!

 

[OverMachoGrande]

Thanks for your understanding man, carry on!!