Weird - Minoxidil Shed in month 4

Rheddug

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Hi!

I am 22 years old and i picked up minoxidil around 4 months ago.My hair is deffinitley thinning out altough there are no bald spots (yet). As i said i started minoxidil 5% 4 months ago and hairfall stopped almost immediatley. In my 3rd month i noticed i could not get more in time so i switched to 1 application a day.Now i bought minoxidil again and im almost through my 4th bottle with which i started applying 2 times a day again.

THE PROBLEM : I am shedding ALOT! Since i have long hair it feels even worse.By alot i mean almost 200 hairs per shower and certainly more inbetween. I lose thin hair,normal hair and little babyhairs that in my imagination were to grow out healthy due to minoxidil.My hair has taken quite a blow and the really frustrating part is that i dont understand why. Could it be that i am experiencing the initial shed now...after 4 months? I've no ideea but i dont know if i have enough hair to power through this without visible losses.
 

the_good_fight

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You've got to hang on. That's not a long enough time to see results. You've got to have the commitment to follow through for at least one full year. Ideally, two years.

Some people see shedding after 2 to 3 weeks of minoxidil, some it takes much longer. For me, I didn't see a lot of shedding until recently, and I'm at the two year mark. But I'm hanging in there, and will consistently use medications. It's the only choice you have if you want to maintain your hair.

But I would suggest if you are serious about treating your hair loss, go see a dermatologist or your doctor and inquire about finasteride.
 

Bowser

Established Member
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Welcome to the minoxidil club. Some people don't shed much - or they don't believe they do. Others notice they shed lots, and it can make a difference to how their hair looks- obviously depending on how much hair they had to start with.
The shedding is just your hair cycles trying to synchronise depending on what stage of the cycle they already were. Eventually you will get to a point where things stabilise, but you will still notice shedding but possibly at a more consistent level.

All you can do is stick with it for a year and then assess whether your results are worth having to apply the dam liquid all your life! And trust me after 6 years using the stuff it gets pretty annoying!
 

Rheddug

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Yep,almost through the 5th bottle and the shedding still didnt stop,i think it's been a little over a month now...Hair does look thinner then how it used to look before i started minoxidil.I've read that half the people that use it either get no results or worsen their situation...makes me wonder if i made a mistake... Anyway im not dumb enough to stop the treatment now as i can only imagine what would happen.

I noticed no new hairs, but i am loosing short hairs too,thing that didn't happen before minoxidil.I have over the shoulder lenght hair so it is getting pretty messy,especially since 1 hair is so long when i comb my hair it looks like alot is falling out.I usually cound about 25 strands when combing and prob around 100 when washing.

This does suck,and i never actually encountered this situation on the internets.
 

rcom440

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What other products do you use? I think you should also use Nizoral and ether finasteride or topical spironolactone.
 

Rheddug

New Member
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For the time nothing altough i am planning on gettin nizoral in the upcoming month.

On a close inspection on wet hair i see no new growth but a definite thinning.It completley stopped losses for about 3 months but it just looks like it suddenly stopped working.I am definitley thinning in the area of appliance.

Writing this down is quite painful and so much fuss for hair sounds pretty egotistical.
 

rcom440

Senior Member
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Rheddug,
You said that you switched 2 application of minoxidil a day to 1. That could be the reason of the shed. I think 1 application a day is fine but everytime you make any changes in your regime especially when it comes to minoxidil you can expect shed. Try to stick to 1 application a day but try to do it at the same time. If you apply it at around 10 pm, stick it it. 1 to 2 hours difference is fine. Some people apply minoxidil for example at 7pm then another day at 11pm
and they wonder why they shed.

Try to do it at around same time everyday. I think eventually you will regrow your hair but it will take time.

Also add Nizoral 3 or 2 times a week.
 

Rheddug

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That happened for a time period of around 2 weeks,after that i resumed 2 applications a day.Almost done with the 5th month and shedding dosent seem to relent.

I read about 2 similar situations,late sheddings that is...according to what those people described i may be in for another month of shedding or so.
 

rcom440

Senior Member
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5 months of shedding is a long time but I think minoxidil will kick in and your hair will grow back.
I think the hair you are shedding are weak. They would fall out anyway in some time. minoxidil just speeds that process.
 

Rheddug

New Member
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I started to shed after 4 months ... thats the curious part.

I stopped shedding the 4th day or so after i started minoxidil...no hairs in shower nothing.On month 4 the shed began,as i said i am shedding thin hair as well as some baby hairs.

I just hope it didnt suddenly decide to stop working.
 

AussieM

Member
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4
I'm in the exact same boat. Started using minoxidil a few months ago on temples and they look the thinnest they ever have. But thats to be expected! We are in the shed! Stick through it, be consistent and be patient! It will bounce back... I hope haha
 

drakeznathan

Established Member
My Regimen
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Any updates. I am thinking of starting on minoxidil but don't want to lose he ground. Want to keep at least what I have
 
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