Unsure about Minoxidil - Side effects and mental state

[UnsureAbout]

OK, I'm obviously a noob and would greatly appreciate any advice at all. I'm a guy with long hair, curly hair, and have thinning on the on the top of my head just behind the hairline, I also have thinning at the crown and above my left (from my perspective) temple.

I started Minoxidil liquid treatment in October
- Religiously applied twice a day for a month
- It made me look more thin on top than normal, due to the greasiness, and I had a large shed about 2-3 weeks in
- I got concerned with its potential effect on collagen and thought it made my eye area and facial skin look more worn than normal (over analysation? I don't know..)
- It left me somewhat embarrassed and thusly have felt down about myself than normal

I stopped applying it for one week and felt better about everything; my hair wasn't greased up and my skin seemed better within a couple of days

A week later I got some foam in the post; it's a lot better when it comes to not making your hair look terrible but it still concerns me that I wake up in the morning with larger bags under my eyes and line-wrinkles that I'm sure I didn't have before.

Because I've only been on it around two months my main question is:

If I stop using, will the hair lost from the first shed return? If so, I'm considering just keeping my hair for another year or so and then just taking the plunge and shaving my head. Or am I just over-analysing the side effects of minoxidil and should just continue with the treatment indefinitely?

I'm also using Nizoral 2% 2-3 times a week.

Thanks for your time

 

[benjt]

Oh Fred... by now, almost all posts you make are about how people experiencing these "imagined" minoxidil sides are "scaremongers". Just a guess, by now there are a couple of dozen people reporting those sides on these forums alone. This includes people who never got those side effects while being on minoxidil for years, but after starting derma rolling - which, among other things, increases absorption - they reported the same side effects. Assuming that these people are not lying as well, like you claim they are, this is proof that a lot of minoxidil being absorbed systemically can cause these side effects.

Minoxidil does not give wrinkles. We do no have any empirical proof of that.

This is a lie and you know that. The problem is that whenever you are asked questions you don't like to answer, you disappear from a thread.

Let's play the game again. I'm gonna ask you the same questions you have been asked so many times. Maybe this time you will reply - though I seriously doubt it.

If minoxidil has been (a) shown to inhibit collagen, and this is its primary mode of action on the scalp's fibrotic collagen in Androgenetic Alopecia, then if (b) minoxidil spreads to the face - due to whatever reasons, e.g. bloodstream - shouldnt it lead to the exact same effect there, i.e., collagen inhibition? As everyone knows, collagen is what keeps the facial skin elastic and wrinkle-free.

Then there is the study available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12789195 where one guy overdosing on minoxidil got a completely saggy and coarse face. Anyone with reasoning will see that when confirmedly a minoxidil overdose can have such extreme side effects, that lower doses can lead to the same effects, though to a less extreme extent. Don't you agree on this, Fred?

Just to make things easier for you, Fred, I marked the questions that you have been avoiding so far in every thread as bold. So, go ahead and answer.


@UnsureAbout: If you want to confirm minoxidil' skin-related side effects in your case, get off minoxidil right now, but take a photo before you do. And dont take it in auto mode of your camera, but with fixed settings. Wait one month, take a photo with the exact same camera settings and light (so bathroom would be a good place to take it), and compare those two photos. That's the only way to know if you're affected or not. If that is not conclusive, get on minoxidil again and document your state on a weekly basis. Noticing your own changes is very hard, but if you take photos you can always go back in time and compare. And always keep in mind to use constant light and camera settings.

From my own experience: I started minoxidil in late June/early July 2012 and got off it around the same time this year, so I've been on minoxidil for approximately one year. Been gathering photos of myself (own and from friends) to trace back how these sides developed, and in my case the first side effects showed in late September 2012, so about 2.5 to 3 months after I started minoxidil. Before that, there was no visible change in skin quality. Ever since going off minoxidil in mid June 2013, my face has recovered quite a bit, though not completely (yet - I hope it will).

By the way, I went back on minoxidil trying to find a safe dose for myself. I'm currently on 0.5 ml once per day (as opposed to 1.0 ml twice per day), and so far no manifestation of additional negative side effects. On the other hand, I'm only on it for about two weeks now, so I don't expect skin-related side effects to manifest so quickly, as it took 2.5 to 3 months while I was on the regular dose. On the other hand, suprisingly, even though I'm on such a small dose, first small vellus hair already start sprouting. I guess I am just very sensitive to minoxidil. This is probably the case for all the other people that also got skin-related side effects, so they might be able to continue using minoxidil if they lower their dose drastically.

 

[benjt]

Again, you ignore my questions. Why don't you want to answer them? Do you fear those questions so much?

And the more anecdotes you get - which are, by now, quite a lot on these forums - the more likely they are to be true.

Not all side effects become known in clinical trials, as shown by the Contergan incident. The side effect of "crippled babies" was not a known side effect - later, people found out that many babies born crippled were due to those unknown side effects of Contergan on foetus development. Just because side effects are not officially listed, does not mean they don't exist.

 

[P51]

Oh Fred... by now, almost all posts you make are about how people experiencing these "imagined" minoxidil sides are "scaremongers". Just a guess, by now there are a couple of dozen people reporting those sides on these forums alone. This includes people who never got those side effects while being on minoxidil for years, but after starting derma rolling - which, among other things, increases absorption - they reported the same side effects. Assuming that these people are not lying as well, like you claim they are, this is proof that a lot of minoxidil being absorbed systemically can cause these side effects.


This is a lie and you know that. The problem is that whenever you are asked questions you don't like to answer, you disappear from a thread.

Let's play the game again. I'm gonna ask you the same questions you have been asked so many times. Maybe this time you will reply - though I seriously doubt it.


Then there is the study available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12789195 where one guy overdosing on minoxidil got a completely saggy and coarse face. Anyone with reasoning will see that when confirmedly a minoxidil overdose can have such extreme side effects, that lower doses can lead to the same effects, though to a less extreme extent. Don't you agree on this, Fred?

Just to make things easier for you, Fred, I marked the questions that you have been avoiding so far in every thread as bold. So, go ahead and answer.


@UnsureAbout: If you want to confirm minoxidil' skin-related side effects in your case, get off minoxidil right now, but take a photo before you do. And dont take it in auto mode of your camera, but with fixed settings. Wait one month, take a photo with the exact same camera settings and light (so bathroom would be a good place to take it), and compare those two photos. That's the only way to know if you're affected or not. If that is not conclusive, get on minoxidil again and document your state on a weekly basis. Noticing your own changes is very hard, but if you take photos you can always go back in time and compare. And always keep in mind to use constant light and camera settings.

From my own experience: I started minoxidil in late June/early July 2012 and got off it around the same time this year, so I've been on minoxidil for approximately one year. Been gathering photos of myself (own and from friends) to trace back how these sides developed, and in my case the first side effects showed in late September 2012, so about 2.5 to 3 months after I started minoxidil. Before that, there was no visible change in skin quality. Ever since going off minoxidil in mid June 2013, my face has recovered quite a bit, though not completely (yet - I hope it will).

By the way, I went back on minoxidil trying to find a safe dose for myself. I'm currently on 0.5 ml once per day (as opposed to 1.0 ml twice per day), and so far no manifestation of additional negative side effects. On the other hand, I'm only on it for about two weeks now, so I don't expect skin-related side effects to manifest so quickly, as it took 2.5 to 3 months while I was on the regular dose. On the other hand, suprisingly, even though I'm on such a small dose, first small vellus hair already start sprouting. I guess I am just very sensitive to minoxidil. This is probably the case for all the other people that also got skin-related side effects, so they might be able to continue using minoxidil if they lower their dose drastically.

Even if it's true use some common sense. How many people use rogaine? Millions worldwide. How many posts about wrinkles do you find? Exactly.

 

[barros]

Hi Benjt, I started using minoxidil 5% kirkland foam about 1 month ago. I realized after 2 weeks I was in overdose, as I was using about twice the amount I should have. Roughly 2ml twice a day. Plus, I didn't wash my hair everyday, so it kept accumulating on my head and surely on my pillow too.
So, after two weeks, I realized a big irritation on the face of my skin as well as big dark circles around my eyes.
So, I started to apply the proper amount: 1ml twice per day, and only a few days ago I went to 1ml once per day. Plus, I am washing my hair every night before going to bed.
I must admit I can already see some very positive results in terms of hair regrowth and thickness. I might be one of those people very sensitive to Minoxidil.
However the side effects seem to persist, in particular blurred sight and dark circles around the eyes, while the skin irritation seems gone after I decreased the doses.
My question is, would it be enough to keep the dose to 1ml per day to recover from the dark circles, or should I stop Minoxidil for some time?

 

[UnsureAbout]

I really appreciate all the replies here and I appreciate it is a sensitive subject.

If you can answer my main question which is in bold I would appreciate that too (sorry to be pushy)

I use the foam - usually about 1/3 of a cap-full twice a day, which is less than the recommended dose, and it serves my scalp sufficiently.

I wake up;
- stubble is longer on one side of my face
- The pores below my eyes are larger on one side of my face
- The lines below my eyes are longer on one side of my face

All happened after using minoxidil (seems foam does it more so unfortunately)

Now, is this likely to be a problem from systemic minoxidil distribution being influenced by gravity? (at least the extra beard growth right?) Because I sleep on one side.

FredTheBelgian, I appreciate that it's important not to be paranoid on such matters but it IS an important one and well worth discussing; if it has found to inhibit collagen production then more scientific tests need to be done. Maybe there are a small number of people who absorb the minoxidil systemically far quicker than others.

I have very fair skin and naturally blonde hair, I don't know if any other people concerned about the potential face-wrinkle issue share the same trait?

But, if I stop minoxidil, will my first shed-hair be likely to grow back without the minoxidil application?



- - - Updated - - -

Just to reiterate, I have used minoxidil for about 2 and half months

- - - Updated - - -

Oh, and I don't seem to have the irritation that some report from minoxidil.

I condition my hair and scalp thoroughly every two days or so and let my hair dry naturally (no blow/hair dryers/toweling etc.).

 

[rachid]

From my own experience: I started minoxidil in late June/early July 2012 and got off it around the same time this year, so I've been on minoxidil for approximately one year. Been gathering photos of myself (own and from friends) to trace back how these sides developed, and in my case the first side effects showed in late September 2012, so about 2.5 to 3 months after I started minoxidil. Before that, there was no visible change in skin quality. Ever since going off minoxidil in mid June 2013, my face has recovered quite a bit, though not completely (yet - I hope it will).

By the way, I went back on minoxidil trying to find a safe dose for myself. I'm currently on 0.5 ml once per day (as opposed to 1.0 ml twice per day), and so far no manifestation of additional negative side effects. On the other hand, I'm only on it for about two weeks now, so I don't expect skin-related side effects to manifest so quickly, as it took 2.5 to 3 months while I was on the regular dose. On the other hand, suprisingly, even though I'm on such a small dose, first small vellus hair already start sprouting. I guess I am just very sensitive to minoxidil. This is probably the case for all the other people that also got skin-related side effects, so they might be able to continue using minoxidil if they lower their dose drastically.

Hi @benjt
I have been reading your posts, yes it is old now we are in 2018, but I wonder what happens for you after reducing your daily dose to 0.5ml, did you experienced skin wrinkles again ?

I am writing to let other people know my story also, I just started using Minoxidil for just 8 days, I used a product called in France "ALOSTIL 5% mousse" its a Minoxidil foam 5%. After first use the next day my scalp was very itchy, its took 3 days of itchiness then it reduces and my ears starts to be very itchy and hot. I was thinking that is normal reaction and it will disappear with time like my scalp, but sadly the 8th day of use I woke up discovering my eyes were puffy and the skin of my ears starts to dry up it went flaky horrible. Then I decided to stop immediately Minoxidil, unfortunately the 9th day I woke up with a puffy face very puffy eyes and wrinkly skin around the eyes it was horrible. After 15 days since I stopped the Minoxidil, my eyes are returning back to normal, but some wrinkles under the eyes are still visible, it seems they should disappear in 6 moths after stopping Minoxidil. I still have my scalp very itchy even after 15 days after stopping it, I am using sweet almond oil for my face to contain the wrinkles under the eyes and I use it also for my scalp.
For me Minoxidil is not adequate I am very allergic to it, add to all these bad side effects, no studies have been conducted on the long term, certainly all these skin alteration will probably end up with kind of skin cancer in 10 or 20 years. So for me it's finish I do not want take this risk.

 

[inmyhead]

Hi @benjt
I have been reading your posts, yes it is old now we are in 2018, but I wonder what happens for you after reducing your daily dose to 0.5ml, did you experienced skin wrinkles again ?

I am writing to let other people know my story also, I just started using Minoxidil for just 8 days, I used a product called in France "ALOSTIL 5% mousse" its a Minoxidil foam 5%. After first use the next day my scalp was very itchy, its took 3 days of itchiness then it reduces and my ears starts to be very itchy and hot. I was thinking that is normal reaction and it will disappear with time like my scalp, but sadly the 8th day of use I woke up discovering my eyes were puffy and the skin of my ears starts to dry up it went flaky horrible. Then I decided to stop immediately Minoxidil, unfortunately the 9th day I woke up with a puffy face very puffy eyes and wrinkly skin around the eyes it was horrible. After 15 days since I stopped the Minoxidil, my eyes are returning back to normal, but some wrinkles under the eyes are still visible, it seems they should disappear in 6 moths after stopping Minoxidil. I still have my scalp very itchy even after 15 days after stopping it, I am using sweet almond oil for my face to contain the wrinkles under the eyes and I use it also for my scalp.
For me Minoxidil is not adequate I am very allergic to it, add to all these bad side effects, no studies have been conducted on the long term, certainly all these skin alteration will probably end up with kind of skin cancer in 10 or 20 years. So for me it's finish I do not want take this risk.

LOL